Off To The Meat Market We Go
by Season4.5
Summary: Everyone in the Gilmore household loathes Rory's current beau. A dinner party at the elder Gilmore household is bound to change that. TRORY. COMPLETE.
1. Yellowcard

OFF TO THE MEAT MARKET WE GO

Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls, its contents, characters and situations are the property of WB, Amy and Daniel Palladino, its writers, directors and producers. The fanfic situations used are borrowed from within the series and are not meant to be spoilers. Hope you enjoy the story!

CHAPTER 1

"I cannot believe this is happening," Rory exclaimed to her mother.

"I can't either, but I'm loving it!" Lorelai said as she put an earring on her earlobe. "Ooh, you think I can snag me a husband, too?" She teased.

"Mom, that is not funny!" she scolded her mother.

Lorelai snorted. "No, funny is finding out that I fell in love with Daddy Warbucks and you fall in love with his son and we're like in-laws and blood related!"

"And so the cycle of in-breeding continues," Rory said, disgusted.

Rory looked at herself on the mirror. She wore a cranberry colored cocktail dress. Logan would've said she was dressed to kill but he had to wait to comment on her outfit until he sees her tonight at her grandparents' Thanksgiving dinner.

"Why can't grandma accept the fact that I am dating Logan?" Rory huffed.

"Because he is eerie," Lorelai said without skipping a beat.

"Would you all prefer me dating Dean?" Rory brought up the sore subject. Since the "incident", Rory and Lorelai danced around the subject spoke about it once and dropped it like a hot potato when words they didn't mean to say to each other flew. It became the yellow card thrown out when they wanted a subject dropped.

"I don't know," Lorelai said, pausing to spray perfume on her wrists. "There's something about that boy that isn't right. I just can't put my finger on it."

"Oh you say that about all the guys I dated," Rory interjected. She patted the stray strands of hair escaping from her tight French twist.

"Hmm, let's pause and think about that statement, shall we?" Lorelai asked. "You only became serious with Dean, Jess, oh and Dean again."

"Then I dated Graham and that kid I went out with that sat by the radiator," Rory corrected her mother. "Logan was a good change!"

"Yeah, and you dating him for a year and a half still makes me think he's like the grim reaper or something. He still gives me the heebie-jeebies," Lorelai shuddered.

And so started the conversation in regards to this night's exceptional Thanksgiving dinner. Rory was appalled by her grandmother's veiled attempts of finding a suitable mate for her. Her grandparents were not fond of Logan despite his blue blood, education and breeding so the elder Gilmores decided to have a soiree, inviting all eligible bachelors within the Hartford area. Lorelai pretended to be offended by the rendezvous but simultaneously doing the happy dance since she had been overlooked as the running gag in the Gilmore household.

"So, how come grandma is interested in me finding a husband when you're not married yourself?" Rory asked.

"She gave up on me already, "she responded nonchalantly. "Remember that creepy neighbor grandma set me up with and he was sucking up to her do badly that the tip of his nose was brown?" Lorelai reminded Rory. Rory just wrinkled her nose.

"Ooh, and the whole Digger thing..." Lorelai shrugged.

"But you liked Jason," Rory reminded her.

"See, that's different," Lorelai said. "That's like the whole thing with Lane where she has to hate everyone her mother sets her up with. If mom found out that I liked a guy she set me up with, she would gloat. And grandma gloating is not fun."

Rory just gave the 'unbelievable' stare at her mother. "Wow," she deadpanned.

"Consider yourself lucky that I am not like Mrs. Kim," Lorelai waved a finger at her daughter. "Or I would've set you up with someone like Kirk."

"Kirk," Rory turned around to face her mother. "Think about that statement."

"It would be interesting for a while," Lorelai giggled. "I mean, night tremors. Naked running. It's fun for all!"

Rory groaned. "Mom, just get your purse. We have to go."

"I don't like college Rory. You're no fun," Lorelai sulked.

Rory picked up her shawl that was spread out on the back of the couch. She took the keys to her mother's jeep and marched out of the Crap Shack's main door.


	2. Hunting Methuselah

CHAPTER 2

Tristin DuGrey was beyond bored. He was comatose. He was not a happy camper attending a function that he really did not care for. All he wanted to do was have a quiet Thanksgiving and catch up with some of his reading assignments before his finals. He let out a loud sigh, knowing that somewhere, someone was screeching that he was doing injustice to the Carlo Scotti tux he was wearing. He squirmed on the Louis XIV chair while waiting on his parents to get dressed.

"Why do I have to go?" Tristin whined.

"Because you need to jump back into the dating pool," his mother, Elsie DuGrey, responded. The woman was stunning for her age. Her reddish blonde hair was coiffed to perfection. Her skin was supple without any cosmetic surgery. The air of confidence that she toted was comparable to the Audrey Hepburns and Blythe Danners of the world.

"Mom, I'm not even twenty one!" he reminded her.

"Stand up," she ordered her son. She tried to straighten out his full Windsor knot. "With your dad wanting to retire sooner, you should think of learning the ropes at the firm. Unfortunately, that also entails having you find the perfect spouse."

"Mom, the world of business and finance has survived without each and every broker being married," he said.

"Yes, but not all of them are inheriting DuGrey Enterprises," his mother added. The DuGrey Enterprise is one of the most prestigious private companies in the East coast. They handled accounts that belonged to senators and private banking firms, high stake rollers and oil magnates. The who's who of businesses had his grandfathers' firm handle their accounts.

"Posh," she said. "If only you could've proposed to Jessica Chrysler. She was a very nice girl."

Tristin smirked. Jessica was his girlfriend for two years. She was smart and from old money. Unfortunately, she also loved a good time. He didn't have the heart to tell his mother that he caught Jessica not once, but twice in very compromising situations with more than one of his so-called friends at the same time.

"Jessica and I were growing apart," he sighed, feigning sorrow. "We are better off as friends."

"Such a shame," she said.

His father, Chandler DuGrey, called him and his mother. "Shall we?" He offered his right arm to his mother. Tristin followed them out the door.

When they got into the car, he looked at his father. "So, where are we going?"

"You'll see when you get there!" his father responded, a wicked gleam twinkled from his eye. His mother just laughed.

He knew something was up. He just hasn't figured it out yet.

Tristin's life had turned around when he got sent off to Military School. He learned to focus and form a new bond with his parents. He never looked back at the what could've beens. He decided to start anew from scratch.

"Can we play twenty questions then?" he asked his parents.

"You can try," his father, challenged him.

"Is gramps going to be in this little soiree tonight?" he asked.

"Yeah. He was the one who actually invited us," Mr. DuGrey said.

"So, it's a business deal," he fished.

"You can say that it has something to do with business," his mother responded vaguely.

Tristin grumbled in frustration. The driver slowed down to a crawl. Now, Tristin was intrigued. Usually, these rides last more than thirty minutes. Tonight's ride was no more than ten. He looked out of the tinted windows. A feeling of déjà vu overcame him. He's been here before, he thought. The ivy covered trellis and the water fountains brought him back to days of the past. But why? He looked at the garden. Did he ever step on it before? He saw the lined up cars waiting for the valet to get their keys. Nope, that can't be it. Then he noticed the people that were emerging from their cars. Some people he knew. Others he more than just recognized.

Then a Cheshire grin broke on his face.

This was just too easy. Too easy.

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"Oh my God," Lorelai punctuated each and every word. The valet took her keys to the Jeep. She and Rory were escorted to the door.

"Do you think she also hired the secret service?" Lorelai conspired with her daughter.

Rory was just in awe with the lights and the light dusting of snow that covered the ground and the bushes. "No, but I think she hired the Woozle mother in The Grinch."

"Ha!" Lorelai chortled. "You said Woozle."

The pair walked into the room and watched the room that was foreign to them. The Persian rug was replaced with a dance floor and there was Japanese lamps strewn in fishing line. Handing their dress coats to the maid was surreal to them.

"I think mom jumped on the deep end here," Lorelai mumbled.

"Rory, Lorelai!" Emily Gilmore called out. "I am glad for once that you have arrived on time. Come, come. Your public awaits."

Rory allowed her mother to escort her through the room. Lorelai did not follow them. Instead, she stared at their backs with distain.

"So are you going to stop this or you're just going to allow our daughter to be auctioned off?" Christopher's voice broke into her thoughts.

"Hmm, I thought that as long as she donates to my bank account, I should whore her out more often!" Lorelai said sweetly to her ex-boyfriend.

Christopher smiled back at her. "Do I get a kickback from it? I mean, I'm the sperm donor."

"You don't have to remind me about that," Lorelai smirked.

"So," Christopher said. "Shall we dance?"

Lorelai grinned at her and threw caution to the wind. She held her hand out and laid it on his open palm.

.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

It had been less than an hour since Rory had arrived at her grandparents' home and she's already contemplating escape. Without her mother's constant play-by-play commentary, she would've taken up the hobby of drinking.

"Hey, look on your three o'clock," Lorelai coaxed her as she shoved a shrimp cocktail into her mouth.

"It's an old man," Rory pointed out.

"It's not just any other old man," Lorelai indicated. "That is Jarvis McGregor. He's a bachelor and a shipping magnate."

"And he's old," Rory reiterated.

"But do you think Paris would go for him?' Lorelai conspired.

"Mom! You're not fixing Paris up. And he's too old for her," Rory said.

"Apparently she likes the Methuselah kind. She dated Flemming," Lorelai said.

"He wasn't that old," Rory argued.

"Oh alright. The Professor is probably Methuselah's age. That man can pass for Methuselah's father," Lorelai quipped. "Thus, more knowledgeable than Father Time himself."

"What professor?" Paris asked, creeping next to Lorelai.

"Well, that man can date Paris," Lorelai said not recognizing Paris.

Paris shot Lorelai an incredulous stare. "Hello, Lorelai. Subject present!"

Lorelai realized her slip of tongue. "Oh, Paris. I just thought that you should meet a nice guy here, other than Rory, of course. Just make sure he gets you a healthy bank account other than an ancient printing press."

"Thanks for your concern, Lorelai. Excuse me," Paris left the two fuming.

Rory gave her mother 'the look'.

"What? I was being helpful!" Lorelai defended herself. Rory shook her head and walked towards someone else other than her mother.

"Madeline! Louise!" Rory called out to the girls huddled in the corner.

"Swinging party, Rory," Louise said dryly. "And the choice of men are prime."

"You know, I'm glad to see a friendly face but what are you guys doing here?" Rory asked the blonde and the brunette.

"Do you remember my brother, Patrick? Apparently he's doing his debut to the public tonight," Louise said.

"And look for moneybags," Madeline added while taking a sip of her punch.

"Patrick? The last time I saw him, he was ten," Rory said.

"And at fourteen, he apparently is your Villi. Welcome to the world, Letourneau," Louise mocked Rory.

"So how did this turn out to be everyone's business?" Rory asked, mortified.

"Remember your birthday party when you first got to Chilton? Pretty much like it," Madeline said, eyeing the room like a hawk.

"Are you saying that invites went out?' Rory asked, almost dropping her crystal.

"Yeah," Louise quipped. "Oh don't worry. Yours isn't the first party we've attended. Remember Alexis Summerland? She had her party Memorial Day weekend. Now she's engaged."

"And I thought we were the civilized society," Rory said while rolling your eyes.

"It's very primitive but sometimes, the caveman mentality works," Madeline said.

"And if they're as hot at these cavemen, come grab my mane," Louise said coquettishly.

"Speaking of cavemen, there's a delicious specimen of manhood coming our way," Madeline said, trying hard to be inconspicuous.

"Ooh, I get first dibs," Louise claimed stake.

"Ladies, how are you this fine evening?" the blonde haired boy asked.

"Swell," Madeline responded. "You're not from here, are you?"

"And if you were, how could we have missed you?" Louise asked, eyeing him carefully.

"Because he's mine, ladies," Rory gloated. "Madeline, Louise, I want you to meet my boyfriend, Logan Huntzberger. Logan, a few friends of mine, Louise and Madeline."

"My pleasure," Logan cockily responded. "Rory, can I steal you for a moment?"

Eyeing her friends, she said, "Sure. Excuse me, guys. Hey, enjoy yourselves!"

When she walked away, Louise asked Madeline, "Wait, if she has a boyfriend, why are they having this party?"

"Who cares," Madeline said. "Let's go hunt."


	3. A Trip Down Memory Lane

CHAPTER 3

"Elsie! Chandler! I am so glad you were able to make it," Richard Gilmore greeted the family that arrived at the door.

"Richard, long time, no see," Chandler chuckled, cupping the elder man on the back.

"Yes, too long. So I see you brought your son tonight," Richard said.

"Yes, meet my son, Tristin," he introduced.

"Ah, I think we've met before," Richard acknowledged the young man. "You went to school with my granddaughter."

"That I did, sir," Tristin responded politely as he accepted Richard's handshake.

"Ah, yes. A very proper gentleman. May I offer you a drink. Elsie?" Richard asked.

Tristin left his parents continue the over inflated praising they so loved exchanging. He was right. He was in the same house almost five years ago. Amazingly, he forgot about the whole incident. Anything that ever happened to him in Chilton was a blur. Maybe this was the right time to revisit the past.

He casually surveyed the room. He was not surprised to see Madeline and Louise still joined at the hip, undressing each and every guy under the age of thirty with their roving eyes. He was glad that some things never changed. He grinned as he saw Paris. It's nice to see her make peace with her former high school nemesis. He saw Buckley and Reiner. Competition, he thought. Then he stopped on his tracks. Was he really considering wooing the elusive Rory Gilmore?

"A drink, sir?" the bartender asked when he leaned over the wet bar.

"Scotch, neat," he ordered.

He took the drink offered to him graciously and walked towards the corner of the room where he inconspicuously watched the blonde guy dancing with the brunette girl on the dance floor.

"So did you miss me?" Logan asked Rory as he spun her on the floor.

"Of course," Rory whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I like your dress. It's very pretty," he said as his voice became husky.

"Hmm, you know I just dress for you," she suggestively responded.

"Don't tease me like that," he groaned. "It's bad enough I could feel your parents' and grandparents' eyes on me. I'm still waiting for your grandma to sic the dogs on me."

"Oh you're just overreacting," Rory laughed.

Halfway through their dance, Rory's grandmother tapped Logan on the shoulder.

"Logan, I need to speak with you," Emily indicated.

Logan shot Rory a confused look. She mirrored it back to him. Logan inhaled deeply and said, "I'm all yours."

"Splendid. Over here," Emily said as she walked away. Logan trudged behind her.

Rory was disappointed with her family's attempt to separate her from Logan. She walked to the bar and got herself a vodka and cranberry. She found a quiet spot right next to the bar and daydreamed.

She was making a mental list of what she had to do when she got back to school that Monday. She also thought of the last minute Christmas presents she still had to purchase. Amid her mental tasking, she felt like she was being watched. Then, an only too familiar feeling all of a sudden overcame her. Her suspicions were confirmed when his voice reverberated in her ear, sending shivers down her naked spine.

"So, how much is it to buy a rack of lamb here?" Tristin queried.

"The price of Admission to Chilton," she quipped.

"You know, if you really wanted me, I'm only a phone call away," Tristin whispered in her ear.

"And what makes you think that I want you?" she asked without looking at him. She could feel the heat emanate from his arm; enough to give her goose bumps. Strangely, she can't wipe the smile that was forming on her lips.

"Well," he indicated, "you have a blonde guy with a devil-may-care attitude... Tell me, is his name Tristin, too?"

"I guess military school didn't get rid of any of that attitude of yours, huh?' she snipped back.

"I'm so glad that you're still feisty," he chuckled. "I'd hate to see my Mary lose her spunk."

"Ugh," she said finally facing her aggravator. "You're incorrigible."

"And you're still hot," he retorted, snapping his teeth at her.

"I never had been yours," she snapped back at him. Still, smiling, she put her empty glass on the tray that passed her. Tristin did the same and followed her.

"Ah, but it's not from lack of trying," he said. "Come on, Mary. We're older, smarter..." Tristin realized that he followed Rory up the stairs into her bedroom at the elder Gilmore home.

"Smarter, eh?" she guffawed. "I felt that we were back in our high school years."

He watched her touch up her lipstick. He found the action very suggestive. Tristin had to adjust himself as he sat on her bed.

"Well we still haven't clawed each other's eyes out," he said, rummaging through her purse. He found her cell phone and programmed his cell phone number in it.

"What are you doing?" she screeched as she saw him pawing her purse.

"Looking for your book?" he responded innocently as he rang his cell phone with her phone number.

"Give back my phone!" she said, launching her body towards his extended arm.

"Who's your boyfriend?" he asked, spinning around to deny her access to her cell phone.

"Logan? Why do you want to know about him?" she asked now trying to climb on him just to retrieve her possession.

Tristin tried to look for his number on her speed dial and sent that number to his cell phone, too. "Nothing. I just wanted you to admit that you're in a relationship with a wannabe me."

"Oooh," Rory flashed him angry eyes. "What have I done that you have to torture me miserably?"

"Nothing," he admitted. He was so close his aftershave titillated her nostrils. "I just wanted to see if our... attraction for each other is real."

The tension between them was broken by the sudden interruption of her dad and mom crashing into the room, giggling.

"Whoops!" Lorelai giggled, apparently tipsy with alcohol.

"Rory!" Christopher called out.

Rory and Tristin jumped away from each other immediately after Tristin handed her cell phone back.

"Uh, you guys can't be in this room together," her mother tried to scold her daughter, holding back a giggle or two. "Get back downstairs."

Tristin and Rory, red as can be, exited the room double time. Christopher and Lorelai fell into fits of giggles.

"You think they were trying to do something naughty?" Christopher asked as he tried to catch his breath.

"I hope not," Lorelai said between giggles, trying to catch her breath herself. Both of them sat on the carpet floor next to Rory's bed. When the couple realized what they just witnessed, both of them sobered.

"That was us twenty years ago," Lorelai said quietly to Christopher.

"Has it been that long?" he asked.

"Yeah," she reminisced. "And now, we have this beautiful girl. And you have Gigi, too."

They stared into each other's eyes. Christopher was first to look away. "What went wrong between us, Lor?"

"Nothing. We grew up," she said.

"You think we can have it back?" he asked.

Lorelai looked at him sadly. "I think we'll always have it, Chris. But I'm happy with Luke."

Christopher unfortunately knew that fact. Luke was there for Lorelai and Rory more times than he ever would like to admit.

"I think we have to take our own suggestion and get back downstairs," Lorelai said.

"You're right," Christopher agreed unwillingly.

Both got up on their feet and proceeded to walk downstairs.


	4. Knife on the Back

CHAPTER 4

Rory and Tristin were so embarrassed they didn't talk to each other on their way down the steps. Once they reached the landing, Tristin walked out through the French doors leading to the patio. Rory went through the living room in search of Logan.

She had no luck finding him.

But Tristin did.

Tristin found Logan nursing a glass of martini in his right hand. He stared into space and the twinkling lights that littered it.

"Isn't it rather chilly for you to be out here?" Tristin asked Logan.

Logan eyed him from head to toe before responding. "I don't find you retreating through those doors."

Tristin already didn't like him. "Just thinking out loud, buddy."

The silence came between them. Neither cared if the other one spoke.

"So, are you here to contribute to the debauchery of Rory Gilmore?" Logan asked Tristin point-blank.

"What does Rory have to do with this?" Tristin pretended to be dense about the whole soiree.

"You're not dumb, or at least I would expect you not to be since you're being introduced to the hosts' granddaughter," Logan scoffed. "You have to be from money and you don't smell like a Gilmore."

"What do you mean 'I don't smell like a Gilmore'?" Tristin asked.

"If you were one, you wouldn't be speaking to me right now," Logan clarified, chugging down the last of his drink.

That was information he found rather interesting. "How come?"

Logan snickered. "It's a long story. So," he changed subjects, "do you have a name?"

"Tristin. Tristin DuGrey," he said, extending his hand. "Nice to meet you."

Logan wearily took his hand and shook it. "Logan Huntzberger. Why do I have a feeling this is not the last time we meet?"

"You just don't know. We might be long lost best friends," Tristin said sarcastically.

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"Grandma, what were you thinking?" Rory almost yelled at her grandmother in the library where only the two of them could hear each other's raised voices.

"Logan is not the right man for you," Emily tried to rationalize with her grandmother.

"Grandma, you had no right to tell my guest to leave!" Rory scolded her grandmother.

"Rory Gilmore, I am disappointed that you are acting so irrationally about this whole thing," Emily said. "If he really cared for you, this night wouldn't matter. I just want you to see other people."

"Other people, grandma? I don't do long distance relationships. Logan is all I need!" Rory protested.

'If only she knew!' Emily said to herself. "Rory, as long as we help pay for your tuition..."

"It all comes down to that, doesn't it?" Rory quipped in full-fledge anger. "Fine. I will dance your stupid dance and eat whatever you feed me tonight but I won't stand for this discrimination."

"Lorelai Leigh!" Emily started to scold.

Rory walked out of the library in search of Logan.

Logan left Tristin on the patio after their short exchange of words. He made up some excuse that he had to leave. Tristin said goodbye and stayed outdoors until a snowflake landed on his cheek. When a series of light fluff started descending faster and faster, he headed back in the warm house.

The sounds of laughter and glasses clinking started to get to Tristin. He looked at his watch. It seemed like he had been in this party forever. It wasn't enough that he started to develop a headache; he sure did not need to be aggravated by the events unfolding in front of him quickly. The loud greetings exchanged at the door caught Tristin's attention. He gasped and started to panic. At the doorway stood Duncan and Bowman and their respective fathers. His rage from all the years started eating at him from within. He hated the bastards. They left him hanging years ago when they were playing with the safe. They were given the proverbial slap on the hand while he got carted off to military school. He had to get out of this place.

Tristin's discomfort was evident. It was a good twenty miles from the Gilmore residence to the DuGrey's. He cursed as he tried to locate an exit. While he was caught up in his thoughts he didn't realize where he was going.

Bam!

"Oh, excuse me," Rory mumbled, obviously crying. He steadied her before she charged away from his grasp.

"No, it's my fault!" Tristin mumbled. He looked around before he dropped his hands from her shoulders. "I know this might be the worst time to ask this, but, what's the fastest way to get out of here?"

Rory was confused. "Are you trying to make an escape from here? Good luck!" she mocked him.

Tristin snorted and walked away from Rory.

"Wait!" Rory yelled, following Tristin's lead.

They headed out through the side door, avoiding the new arrivals. The evening chill hit both of them simultaneously. Rory rubbed her bare arms vigorously to keep circulation going. Tristin was more concerned of finding his ride of convenience. In seconds, they were met with a bevy of vehicles at their disposal. One of them was her father's motorcycle, which Tristin made a mad dash for.

"What are you doing?" Rory shrieked at him.

"What do you think am I doing?" he threw the question back at her. "I'm looking for my getaway vehicle."

"It's stealing," she grumbled. "Plus, that's my dad's bike."

It didn't take long for Tristin to get the motorbike running. He found the spare key her father left near the saddlebags. Rory groaned. The loud roaring of the bike's engine drowned their voices.

"So," Tristin posed to Rory, "Are you hopping on or not?"

"What?" Rory asked him. "I don't even have my purse... or my coat."

"Here," her shrugged off his tuxedo coat, "you can have my jacket. Let's give them something to talk about."

His devilish grinned made Rory wonder why she was even considering his offer. Rory was intrigued. The thought of ticking off her grandparents made Rory salivate at the opportunity. Rationale allowed her to make sure her father got his bike back and in one piece. So she took the coat Tristin offered and shoved her arms in it. She inhaled the scent that enveloped her.

"Hop on!" he invited.

Moments later, the roaring engine echoed through the night, their silhouette disappearing on the horizon.

Dinner was about to be announced when the room was abuzz with excitement.

"Was that Tristin I saw running out of here?" Louise asked, grabbing Madeline on the wrist.

"So, it wasn't just me who saw him. Wow, he's turned into a real David," Madeline commented.

Paris ran to the two girls. "That was Rory with Tristin, wasn't it?"

The two girls nodded.

"And Bowman and Duncan are at the door," Paris said.

The two girls looked at the entrance and saw their former classmates.

"Ew, they still look like losers without Tristin," Madeline smirked.

"Spineless and disgusting," Louise added on.

Without skipping a beat, Madeline and Louise shot each other their all too-knowing look.

"So you wanna check them out?" Madeline conspired.

"Lead the way!" Louise giggled. They left Paris standing alone.

"Amazing," Paris shook her head.

Seconds later, they heard an obnoxious motorcycle engine rev up on the driveway.

"Who has the audacity to bring a bike to this gathering other than Christopher?" Emily asked loudly. She opened the door and saw two figures riding away.

For a moment, Emily's heart stopped beating. "Where's Rory?"

"That's my bike!" Christopher yelled from the stairwell. Both he and Lorelai ran down the steps until they got to the door. They saw what Emily witnessed and Christopher was not happy.

"I guess the dish ran away with the spoon," Lorelai muttered as she saw their shadows disappear in the night.


	5. The Domino Effect

CHAPTER 5

"Thanks for coming away with me," Tristin said. With the tip of his finger, he scooped off some of the whipped cream on his pie and shoved it gracefully into his mouth.

Rory smiled. She didn't expect the gratitude tossed her way. "You're welcome. I think I'm the one who should thank you for inviting me in your little adventure."

Tristin shot her a sexy grin, "I couldn't have asked for a better co-conspirator."

Rory's laugh rang in the booth. It was music to his ears. A few of the people in the room stared at them, the look they shot was unnerving. Rory realized how loud she was and scooted herself lower into her seat as not to be seen.

"I was rather surprised to see you tonight," she admitted.

"Yeah? Good surprise or bad surprise?" he asked.

Rory paused. "Good. Definitely good."

"Can I ask a question?" he asked.

"Can you?" she rhetorically asked.

He smirked. "May I ask a question?"

"You've been doing it all night. What's stopping you?" she responded.

"Do you regret leaving with me?" Tristin asked as he took a sip of his coffee.

Rory hesitated for a moment before answering. "No."

"Even with Romeo around?" he continued his badgering.

Rory Ran her index finger on the mouth of her half-empty coffee cup. "The decision was made when grandma sent Logan running for the hills."

"She did not!" Tristin responded in mocked amusement. His question on why Logan left so suddenly became evident. Despite his initial dislike for the man, he wondered why the Gilmore family despised him greatly.

Rory smiled as she threw her napkin at him from across the table. "You're insufferable!" she exclaimed.

Tristin laughed out loud. The few individuals spending their Thanksgiving in the 24-hour diner turned towards their general direction. Tristin didn't care.

"You are so different from the Rory Gilmore I knew ages ago," he complimented her. "I like it."

Rory blushed, "Thank you," she muttered.

"So how long have you been dating Wannabe?" he teased. He broke off the corner of his apple pie and took a bite of the sweet treat.

"His name is Logan and it's been almost a year and a half," she proudly announced.

"Wow," he said. "I'm impressed. I'd be thinking you'd be engaged to bagboy by now and would be planning for little paper bag babies."

"Grrr," Rory growled at him. "Consider yourself lucky that grandma had used up my anger fuse and now I have no strength to argue with you."

Her playful mood all of a sudden became somber. She paused and looked away with a look of longing he recognized from years ago; a place he really did not want to visit any time soon especially tonight.

"He got married," she stated.

"To someone other than you? Talk about self-fulfilling prophecies of idiocy!" he grumbled.

"Don't be so harsh," Rory chided him softly. "Maybe I was the one who didn't want things to happen between us."

Tristin found Rory's response remarkable. He stared at his half-eaten pie to avoid contact with her baby blues.

"Tell me," he asked almost too quietly, leaning towards her from across the table, "did you know from the start that you and he were not going to make it?"

Rory was dumbfounded. For once, she felt his sincerity. He was not condescending or annoying. She took a sip of her drink before giving him her response.

"I don't think it was a matter of making it or not," she truthfully answered. "We tried when he was getting his divorce..." her voice trailed away.

Her blatant honesty struck a chord within Tristin. Her exposed emotion made him feel like the biggest jackass in the world.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said, empathizing with Rory. He reached from across the table and held her hand.

His sympathetic touches made her realize that she can't keep on going back to the past and wish for time to rewind. As Logan reminded her time and again, she had to live in the present and keep moving on.

"How would you have known?" she said sadly. "It's history and we've gone our separate ways."

Both were left to their own thoughts for a while. They let themselves be hypnotized by the little snowflakes slowly descending before them. Both were oblivious to the havoc they just caused by taking off without leaving word.

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"This is the most childish, unladylike stunt your daughter had ever pulled. She is a sorry excuse for a woman," Emily Gilmore roared in the empty living room.

Shortly after dinner had been served, the guests trickled home. At ten o'clock, the DuGrey clan offered their sincerest apologies for their son and grandson's improper behavior.

"I assure you that Tristin would be held accountable for his actions," Chandler apologized before the family left.

"But mom!" Lorelai interjected.

"See? That's the kind of behavior that allowed your daughter to be so inconsiderate," Emily fumed.

"Emily, Rory is a mature woman who can make decisions, albeit not smart ones as of recent. She has the prerogative to leave if she feels like it," Richard tried to placate his wife and daughter.

"No, it's Thanksgiving and she should know better than leave in the middle of a holiday gathering," she reiterated. "She's supposed to be with family."

"Family? Mom, you had the Mad Hatter's Court there and you were the Queen of Hearts yelling, 'Off with- insert head's name here'. I swear to God, mom. You could be best friends with those island head hunters," Lorelai argued.

Emily raised her haughty head. "Are you done yet?"

Christopher elbowed Lorelai to silence her. She was about to glare at him when she caught him trying to contain his laughter.

Lorelai put her head down as Christopher did. His disposition started to get to her. She herself started feeling a smile tug at her lips.

"You two are sorry excuses for parents," Emily spat out. "Leave my house before I say something that I would not be able to take back."

The two adults that were just subjected to a scolding comparable to that of a five year old scurried out to the hallway to retrieve their coats. Lorelai had the foresight to have Rory's belongings together as she braced for her mother's tongue lashing.

Christopher was laughing uncontrollably when they got out into the cold night air.

"What was that about the 'off with the head' comment?" Christopher tired to say. "I thought I was going to swallow my tongue to not have Emily pick on me, too."

"Coward!" Lorelai said simultaneously slapping him with her handbag. "You should've gotten some of her venom. You provided the getaway vehicle."

"I am at no fault. He stole it," Christopher said.

"Unbelievable. You let a kid take the fall," Lorelai shook her head at him. "You should give up all your rights on being a dad."

"Come on. At least let me get my bike back before we modify our parental rights and duties," Christopher commented.

Lorelai revved up the Jeep's engine. "I hope Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum have a good excuse for running away."

Christopher looked at Lorelai's facial expression change into mommy mode. He sighed and just remained silent. He hoped he would not have to deal with this when Gigi gets to be Rory's age.

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"So where does Logan fit into this picture?" Tristin inquired as he settled their bill.

"You've been itching to ask that question, haven't you?" she teased him.

Tristin blushed, hesitating to answer her. He wondered why Logan piqued his interest.

"Maybe-," he paused for effect. "I am... intrigued by him."

"Intrigued?" Rory speculated. "Tristin, I may not have seen you for some time but that doesn't make you a total stranger. I know you don't ask questions unless there's something in it for you."

"Are you implying that I have ulterior motives?" he accused Rory, leaning so close to her he could see the tiny black flakes in her eyes. He wanted to kiss her then and there but he held back. Why did he feel like a horny teenager all of a sudden?

"Synonymous," she quipped.

He laughed at the way she stared at him. He pulled back from her and sat back on his seat. It was a feeling of comfort he had not felt in a while.

"Okay," he admitted, "I was curious as to how he became your boyfriend when you won't even give me the time of the day in high school! Now granted, I was a pain in your side but why Logan?"

"Why not?' she countered.

"Because," he retorted.

"Because," Rory echoed his opinion. "That's not an answer."

Tristin opened his mouth to retort but he decided not to. Rory was waiting for his response. "What?"

Tristin did his best Thinker pose on the table. "You are amazing." Tristin flattered her. "I think the one thing that makes you downright sexy is your loyalty to your men. That is commendable."

Rory turned crimson at his compliment.

"Don't say stuff you don't mean," she scolded him.

"Why?" he quizzed her.

"Because you just don't know when someone would actually take you seriously and fall for you," Rory said as she got up and put back on the tuxedo jacket she borrowed from him.

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"Lor, pull over!" Christopher ordered her.

"Where? Why?" Lorelai asked as she made the balding tires to her Jeep squeal.

"There's my bike! My bike!" he yelled out loud, jumping out from his seat.

Lorelai did her best to get into the half plowed parking lot. Almost on cue, they saw Rory and Tristin emerge from the diner.

"Well, well, who do we have here? Mickey and Mallory Knox. Kill anyone in the diner, kids?" Lorelai asked sarcastically.

Rory stopped on her tracks, not realizing that her mother and father stood before her. She quickly dropped Tristin's hand started wringing hers nervously.

"Mom, I could explain," Rory said.

"I don't want to hear a peep from you until way after we get out of here. Return the coat to the rebel without a clue here and let's get home," Lorelai scolded her daughter.

Rory handed the coat back to Tristin. She looked at him and then at her dad. Christopher remained mute.

"I'll talk to you later," Rory told him.

"Not in this lifetime, you won't," Lorelai threatened. "Get in the car."

Without any pomp and circumstance, the two men were left under the awning of the diner and watched the Jeep drive away.

"Sir, I am so sorry," Tristin tried to apologize to Christopher.

"Oh don't sweat it," Christopher cupped Tristin's shoulder and walked him to the bike. "Lor and I would've done the same thing twenty years ago. Just enjoy it while you can."


	6. Thanking Black Fridays

CHAPTER 6

"So I figured, we'll hit Luke's first, then we'll drive down to the Westfarms Mall and try on stuff at bebe and Lord and Taylor..." Lorelai rambled as she bounced on Rory's bed.

Rory's head emerged from under her pillow and reached out for the bedside clock. The small hand was on the five and the long hand was at nine. Rory groaned, returning the Hello Kitty clock to its former place.

"Mom, the sun isn't up yet," she said, her voice muffled by the pillow. "You know you love sleep."

"Ah, yes, but this is an exception. It's Black Friday and mommy needs to find a brand new purse for Santa to give to her," she mentioned.

"Mom, you don't buy the presents Santa gives to you. You earn it. Second, aren't you still upset with me from last night?" Rory inquired.

"Silly girl. You think I will trust Luke to buy me the present I so deserve?" Lorelai scoffed at her. "And besides, I can either be upset with you about last night and have this day ruined or you could tell me what happened over coffee and we'll exchange notes on how the night transpired since your disappearance."

Rory sat up from her sleeping position to face her mother. "Are you saying you're not angry with me?"

"What I'm saying is, I'm over it... Unless you drag your butt here in the room and make me miss the underwear sale at Victoria Secret," Lorelai marched out the room to give Rory her privacy.

"You don't need any more underwear!" Rory called out.

"But I need one that Luke hasn't seen me in before!" she yelled back.

'Ew! Too much information.' Rory shuddered as the mental picture emerged in her brain. Sighing, she started her day.

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Lorelai and Rory arrived at Luke's diner half an hour later. They were surprised to see the place packed.

"Wow, people actually wake up this early by choice. Unbelievable," Lorelai commented.

They spotted Luke wiping a table on the far right corner of the room. He looked up and acknowledged them. "Be with you in a sec unless you are in a hurry. You can go to the office and I'll serve you breakfast there."

Lorelai had a wicked gleam in her eye. "Hurry home, Rory. I think I can get lucky this morning."

"Mom, why are you trying to gross me out?" Rory questioned her mom.

"Because I can," Lorelai said. "Besides, since you've been doing the horizontal lambada with Nasty MacBlondie I have to shock you some other way. Ooh, an open table. Run!"

The couple ran to the table before someone else claimed it. Luke came over and set up their respective coffee cups effectively.

"I'll bring you your breakfast in a moment," he said gruffly.

"How could you bring us breakfast if we didn't tell you what we wanted?" Lorelai asked.

"Because it's the same thing over and over. And if you want my opinion, you should stick to eating a broccoli quiche and an orange juice rather than that greasy egg and biscuit and gravy you've been addicted to for ages," he lectured.

"Broccoli for breakfast? Now that's nasty!" Lorelai gagged.

"Ooh, daddy, can I get a milkshake if I eat a healthy breakfast?" Rory joined in her mother's teasing. She was met with a skeptical gaze from Luke.

"Do you want me to deny you guys coffee?" he threatened.

"Now that's getting personal," Lorelai grumbled.

"Two breakfasts and coffees coming up," he huffed before walking away.

The two girls stared at him walking away.

"So," Lorelai said, "which Brawny guy do you think Luke look is? The one with the porn 'stache or the recent edition, the manscaped, very emotionally in tuned with himself guy?"

"Definitely the 'stache guy. Can you picture Luke manscaped?" Rory queried.

"Ew! Definite no-no. I don't think I'll like Luke being all sensitive anyway," Lorelai shuddered.

Rory laughed at her mother. Fortunately, the image disappeared when Lane served them coffee.

"I am so glad to see you guys," Lane said.

"So how was your Thanksgiving?" Rory asked her best friend.

"Can you stuff tofu in tofu?" Lane asked.

Lorelai and Rory looked at each other before answering. "I don't think so," Lorelai said.

"Well, tell that to my mother," Lane said, rolling her eyes. "We had tofu in the shape of a turkey. And there was lemon grass mixed with rice and some other organic thing," she rambled on.

"I'm sorry we didn't have Thanksgiving at home this year," Lorelai apologized.

"That's okay," Lane said. "Sookie came up with this brilliant excuse that Jackson needed to be rushed to the hospital and Zach and I had to baby sit the kids."

"That's horrible!" Rory exclaimed.

"Well, he didn't really have to go to the hospital but Sookie prepared so much food she might as well have cooked for an entire hospital," Lane replied.

"That's Sookie for you," Rory said.

The little bell behind the counter rang.

"Ooh, there's your breakfast. Let me get it," Lane walked away hurriedly from them. At the counter, they witnessed Luke and Lane do a hand-off of plates and coffee.

In a few moments, Luke brought their hot plates to them. "Grease, what's not good for you."

The two seated gleamed at Luke. "Thank you!" they chorused.

Luke grunted and walked away.

"So, are you going to tell me why you left with Rebel?" Lorelai asked.

Rory chuckled. "Mom, 'Rebel' as you fondly call him, is Tristin. Remember? Bible Boy?"

Lorelai's eyes got big. "That was Bible Boy? Oh my God, he has definitely filled out."

"Mom, are you saying that you were checking him out?" Rory asked in half screech.

"Can't help it, his nipples stuck out like missiles with you cozying up in his coat," Lorelai said wickedly.

"He was just being gentlemanly," she defended him. "Anyways, Tristin wanted to leave the party to avoid Duncan and Bowman," Rory explained.

"And?" Lorelai fished for information.

"And I wanted to make sure he didn't ruin dad's bike," she lamely said.

"Oh you're so goody two shoes," Lorelai grumbled. "You mean I actually offered my head on the guillotine for you to baby sit Christopher's bike?"

Rory broke eye contact with her mom.

"And grandma sent Logan away so I didn't see why I had to stick around," she mumbled.

"She did?" Lorelai queried. "She caught him stealing dad's thirty year old scotch?"

"She just doesn't like him, I guess," Rory sighed.

Lorelai wrinkled her eyebrows. "Strange. I wonder why she hates him. Has she met him before?"

"Once, on campus when she and gramps came for a visit and they caught us kissing," Rory confessed.

"And you didn't tell me?" Lorelai screamed. "Are you sure you were just kissing?"

"Lips together, clothes on. Nothing more than that," Rory promised.

"It's a really scary thought that mom and I see eye to eye," Lorelai mused. "And you think that's the reason why mom and dad don't like Logan?"

"All I know of," she said.

"I'm sorry," Lorelai blabbed.

"For what?" Rory asked.

"For being pissy at you last night," Lorelai admitted.

"You got the right," Rory managed to say between bites. "You were worried."

"But I should've trusted you more," Lorelai muttered.

"Mom, I can't believe that I'm saying this, but the day you stop worrying about me, I'll be very upset," Rory confessed.

Four coffee cups later and plates almost empty, Rory's cell phone rang. Luke's flannelled arm shot out and pointed to the door. Rory excused herself and hurriedly answered her phone without looking at the caller.

"Where did you go last night?" Rory asked.

"I was with you, Mary, what are you talking about?" Tristin asked from the other end.

"Tristin!" Rory blushed. "I am so sorry."

"You thought I was Wannabe?" Tristin asked. "Ouch."

"I-I," she stuttered. "How did you get my number?"

"I have ways, Rory. Now, do I get a good morning?" he teased.

"Good morning," Rory mumbled. "So did you get home well?"

"Your dad took me home in one piece," he informed her. "So, is your mom upset with you?"

"Not really. How about yours?" Rory asked.

"They're not up yet, so I don't know," he muttered.

"For all it's worth, I'm sorry," Rory apologized.

"Don't apologize. I had one of the best nights of my life," he said. "But you can make it up to me by going out with me tonight."

"Tonight? Tristin, last night was a fluke, a one night stand," Rory rambled.

"And you still have a boyfriend, I get it," he rationalized. "What's wrong with two old friends hanging out for a weekend?"

Rory mulled over his question. She hesitated. With a heavy heart, she responded, "I can't, Tristin."

"Please?" he asked. "With whipped cream on top?"

"No," Rory said firmly.

"Come on now, Rory. Don't tell me you didn't feel anything last night," he begged.

"I'm hanging up now," she said in a singsong voice.

"Rory-," Tristin tried catching her.

"Bye," she said shutting her cell phone off. Why did he always make her smile?

She dialed Logan's cell phone. She didn't care that it was just a little past seven o'clock. She just had to talk to him.

"Hello," Logan's sleep-laced voice rang in her ear.

"Good morning, sunshine," Rory greeted. "Miss me?"

"Rory!" he exclaimed. "Hi! Uh- how are you? What time is it?"

"Too early to talk to you," Rory said. "I know you're not a morning person but I wanted to know where you went last night."

"I went back to the campus when your grandmother asked me to leave," he said.

"I'm sorry about that," she muttered.

"That's alright. No harm done," he replied.

"How can I make it up to you? I mean, you didn't even get dinner!" she whined.

"Don't worry about it," he calmed her.

"Meet me and my mom at the mall today. I know you hate malls but I'll make time for you," Rory bribed.

"Hmm, very tempting. Where is it?" he asked.

Rory gave him quick directions to where Rory and her mother were going to be.

"Alright, I'll see you in a while," he said.

"Bye," she said, hanging up and walking back into the diner.

Logan hung up on the other end and laid back on the bed. He cuddled up next to the blonde still asleep next to him.


	7. Repercussions of Lying

CHAPTER 7

Rory was hoping for a break... Soon. The trip to the mall was uneventful except for the three phone calls she got from Tristin trying to convince her to hang out that evening. All three times she politely declined. The fourth time, she decided to have her voice mail pick up his call.

The packed Mecca of commerce was hot and annoying. Strollers bumped her, whiny customers irritated her and grumpy sales personnel got to her. Three hours and several bags later, Rory was ready to give her mother an ultimatum.

"Mom, I need to get a drink," Rory said.

"Come on, we still haven't gone to Restoration Hardware," Lorelai commented.

"Who are you getting a present for at Restoration Hardware? Grandpa? Sookie? Luke?" Rory asked, irritated.

"Wow, you are crabby," Lorelai noted. "Okay, wanna go to Gloria Jean's?"

"Please!" Rory exclaimed.

When they came upon the coffee shop, Rory found Logan occupying a table with three chairs. For a second, he looked up from the paper he was reading and beamed her a smile.

"Logan!" Rory exclaimed, leaving her mother to greet him with a hug and kiss.

"Hey, Ace," he greeted, opening his arms for her to jump in. "I'd figure you'd eventually end up near a coffee shop."

Rory planted a wet kiss on his lips, which he met with equal passion. For all they cared, the mall was empty to them.

"Well, well, well, wasn't expecting your pretty head to rear in this corner of the world," Lorelai quipped sarcastically when she caught up with the couple.

Logan broke the passionate kiss. Dropping his hands to Rory's waist, he flashed Lorelai a grin. "Hello, Lorelai."

"Logan," she curtly responded. "Rory, what do you want to drink?"

"I'd suggest the Peppermint Mocha. It's really good," Logan informed Rory.

"Then a Peppermint Mocha it is," Rory told her mother.

"Logan?" Lorelai asked.

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking," he politely responded.

Lorelai deposited her bags close to the couple before walking into the coffee shop.

Logan sat back on his metal chair while Rory sat on his lap.

"So what do I have to do to get to your mother's good side? Was she like this with the rest of your boyfriends?" he asked her.

Rory leaned to the side of diplomacy and dared not to answer the latter of the questions asked. "That's just my mom: very protective. Suggestion, if she starts having conversations with inanimate objects, just go along with it."

"Okay," Logan said slowly.

"So, did you find the place easily?" Rory asked, changing the topic.

"Hmm, it got easier when I saw you," he smoothly responded, nuzzling her neck. The warm breath on her neck tickled her.

"Stop that," she said in a husky voice.

"Stop what?" Logan asked, now moving to nip on her earlobe. "I missed you last night."

"I missed you, too," Rory sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Come home with me tonight," he urged her.

"You know I can't," Rory told him.

"I know," he hummed, leaning his head on her shoulder. "I hate it that I usually lose you on the weekends."

"You knew that was going to happen when we started dating," Rory pointed out.

"Don't remind me," Logan huffed. "I think I am getting really jealous."

"Don't be. I'm still yours," Rory reassured him. Then, a vibration jangled on Rory's side.

"Damn!" Logan cursed as he reached for his ringing cell phone.

"Hello?" her responded. "Who?" another pause.

"Rory, it's for you. It's your cousin?" Logan handed her his cell phone, a confused look on his face emerged.

"Cousin?" Rory herself was confused. She took the phone and walked away from Logan's lap.

"Hello?" Rory answered.

"You really look like a very cute couple snuggled up like that," the male voice from the other end said.

"Who is this?" Rory asked.

"Look a little to your right," he instructed.

Rory moved around and weaved through people until she saw Tristin who waved at her. He was standing at the cellular store across from where they sat.

"You know, you're close to being put on stalker status," Rory teased him. "And cousin? Come on now."

"Well, it's the only way I could get you to talk to me," he said.

"Well if you'd drop the idea that I'm going out with you in the next couple of days, I probably would be more civilized to you!" she said. She tried to look at him again but he had left the spot she last saw him.

"Fine. I won't ask you out anymore. I get the hint. Can we at least have coffee?" Tristin asked, a little annoyed.

"One drink?" she asked.

"One drink, I promise," he swore.

"Fine," Rory huffed. "Call me tonight."

"You won't regret it," he promised before hanging up.

Rory walked back to Logan and handed his phone back.

"I didn't know you had a cousin," Logan said.

"Well, we don't talk to him much," Rory fibbed. "He was actually looking for mom and since I don't have my cell phone..."

"So he calls me?" Logan asked.

"I hope you don't mind. I pretty much told him that if he can't get in touch with me, he'd call you to get to me," she lamely responded.

Logan thought about what she said. "That's actually smart!"

Rory was just glad Logan didn't see through her white lie.

"Ooh, look at what Santa dropped in my goodie bag!" Lorelai exclaimed, carrying a tray of coffee cups with her.

Logan and Rory looked up from their cozy position only to be met with another set of knowing blue eyes. Tristin's.

"Hey," the couple chorused. Rory immediately got off Logan's lap and sat on the chair right next to him.

"I told him he can join us," Lorelai said.

Logan stood up from his chair and offered his hand over the table. "Nice to see you again. It's Tristin, right?"

"Yes it is," Tristin muttered, returning his handshake. "Nice seeing you again, Logan."

"I'm glad to see that everyone's acquainted," Lorelai said as she distributed cups around.

"So," Lorelai started to ask, a wicked gleam in her eye, "Did you get home well last night?'

Tristin, not knowing what Rory said to Lorelai said, "Uh, I got home well, Ms. Gilmore, thank you."

"Tristin, what did I tell you? It's Lorelai. None of that aged, honorary greeting, "she corrected him. "I hope Christopher didn't give you a hard time, you know, with Rory being his baby and all," Lorelai fibbed.

Rory and Tristin exchanged glances. "No, Christopher was actually really nice to me."

"What happened?" Logan asked.

"Oh, Tristin here, pulled a funny last night by kidnapping Rory from the party. It was rather hilarious," Lorelai recounted without taking a breath.

"I left with him because grandma made you leave," Rory defended herself to Logan.

"And I stole her father's bike," Tristin threw his two cents worth quickly.

"Oh you two, I don't even know why you even play the cat and mouse game. Have sex with each other and get it over with," Lorelai scoffed.

"Mom!"

"Lorelai!"

Tristin and Rory yelled at her in unison.

"What?" Lorelai acted innocently.

Rory was fuming. Logan tried to assuage her rage by cloaking her hand with his.

"I don't know where you got that impression, Lorelai," Tristin tried to play it off. "I am just here to do some shopping!"

Lorelai popped a chocolate covered coffee bean in her mouth. "Uh-huh. Is that what you told Rory in high school?"

"Mom!" Rory yelled.

"Don't stop now. This is getting interesting," Logan encouraged Lorelai.

"Well, young Tristin over here used to give my Rory a hard time in high school. He actually gave her this nickname. What was it again?" Lorelai played dumb.

"Mary," both Tristin and Rory filled in the blank.

"Yes, Mary," she said. "Now, five years, and three boyfriends later, Rory is being auctioned off to the highest bidder. Now who should I go for, the son of a newspaper magnate or my daughter's former bane of existence? Who to choose, who to choose."

Feeling the uncomfortable pressure, Tristin decided to get away from the group before Lorelai opened up another can of worms.

"Uh, I think I overstayed my welcome," Tristin informed them all as he got up and retrieved his purchases.

"I hope you're not leaving on my account," Logan said, standing up from his seat.

"No, I just have to go," he mumbled. "It was nice to see you again, Lorelai. Rory, have a great Christmas break if I don't get to see you again."

"Yes," Rory said, getting up herself. "You, too."

Awkward tension came between the two. He said his goodbyes once more and walked away.

"Well, I should follow his cue and take off, too," Logan said.

"Ah, so soon? You just got here," Rory whined. "I should take off with you after the stunt mom pulled." Rory eyed her mother.

"Hmm, if you do, I'll never be on your mother's good side," he responded, looking at Lorelai.

"By George, he got it!" Lorelai sarcastically said.

He kissed Rory once more on the lips and walked away.

"What got into you?" Rory asked slapping Lorelai on her shoulder.

"Payback's a bear, isn't it?" Lorelai said sweetly. "Now, how about a visit to Restoration Hardware?"


	8. Back Alley Secrets

CHAPTER 8

Logan's Wednesday started on the wrong foot. Hearing his father first thing in the morning wasn't the first thing he'd want to deal with. Come to think of it, he'd prefer to avoid his father totally any day of the week.

"Do you have the ring yet?" his father asked.

"We're getting it this weekend, dad," he assured him.

"Good. If anything else, I don't want this thing to blow up on our faces," his father reminded him.

Logan had heard the mantra so many times from his father that it made him sick to the very core.

Logan left his father rambling on his ear as he let his thoughts wander on to Rory.

Funny thing was that he never thought he'd be so fortunate to be with someone like her. Before he met her, he was clueless; a wandering Neanderthal that didn't see any purpose to life other than be the heir to his father's newspaper fortunes and be the darling of the public eye. Everything was a calculated effort to become bigger and better. Rory's innocence in the world of the wealthy made him realize that not everyone in life is jaded. He just hated the fact that as he had introduced to her a lot of firsts in her life, he probably would be the first to introduce to her treachery and deceit.

She spent the night over after he convinced her to leave her dorm and have dinner with him. He marveled at her diligence despite his persistence to have her drop her books and spend quiet times with him. That night, they made love. It wasn't there usual encounter, at least in Logan's mind. He knew that this would be one of the few moments before the truth would come out. Relinquishing what he has with Rory would prove difficult even for the likes of him.

"Remember, drinks are going to be served at seven. Don't be late," his father reminded him.

"I won't," he responded through gritted teeth.

Like any other business arrangement, the phone went dead without an ending salutation. Logan felt so used after what had just transpired.

Logan hated being sneaky around Rory but he stole her cell phone from her the night before. He flipped through her phone book and dialed a number he hoped would pick up. When the answering machine came on, he decided to leave a message.

"Hi, this is Logan..."

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All is right in Rory's world. With last weekend's headaches behind her, she was able to refocus on Logan. She never thought that things could be better between them. She breathed a sigh of relief that Tristin didn't make things awkward between her and Logan. She would've bet her whole tuition to Yale that years before, he probably would have. Now, she was glad that he was an ally she could depend on.

She stopped typing midway through her paper. She tried to suppress a giggle that wanted to escape. She could still see his wide, blue eyes wondering why her mother was persistent to have him sit on their table last weekend. Could she consider that their coffee date? Lorelai admitted to Rory that she just wanted to see if Tristin would be able to hold on to his own if she pulled the 'mother' card on him. She admitted that she was rather impressed that he handled her with such grace and finesse.

"If I were sixteen years younger, I would have him on his knees!" Lorelai squealed in delight.

Rory didn't know if that was meant to be a compliment or a gross out comment.

Nonetheless, she felt guilty that she was thinking about Tristin among all times and places.

She felt rather confused as to why she was enumerating the finer points of Tristin DuGrey when she should be planning her surprise weekend with Logan. Was it because she missed the barbed comments she and Tristin used to hurl at each other eons ago? Or is it because she knew that eventually, she had to make peace with said past to move on?

"Boo!" spooked the voice behind her.

Rory let out a little yelp before settling back to her seat. "Logan, you scared me!"

"Aw, I didn't mean to, Ace," he apologized, dropping a big kiss on her forehead.

She stared at the golden haired boy with fondness despite his affinity of calling her with the annoying nickname "That's okay. I needed to be woken up."

"From what? Daydreaming about me?" he teased.

"Among other things," she said with vagueness.

"Cut school tonight," he dared her.

Impish delight danced in Rory's eyes for a moment. However, it was quickly dashed away. "I can't."

"Why not?" he asked indignantly. He pulled the chair from a nearby desk and rolled it next to Rory.

"Because I have this paper due and Doyle wants me to edit this article..." Rory listed.

"If I promise to help you with your paper and have Doyle find another fact finder in your place, would you take me up on my offer?" he sweet talked her, pulling her and her chair close enough for her to smell his subtle aftershave cologne.

Rory wanted to cross him but she knew the point was moot. He almost always gets his way when he sets his mind to make things happen.

"It's not fair," Rory said, guilt creeping in her voice.

"To whom?" he asked. "Whatever happened to 'In Omnia Paratus'?"

"It went out with 'Carpe Diem' and left me with all the work to deal with," Rory sighed.

"C'mon, with Christmas coming up, I can't guarantee you that we'd have any time to spend together," he reminded her with urgency.

Rory's heart dropped to her stomach. Logan never spoke with such seriousness before. "Logan, is everything alright?"

Logan sat up straight to face Rory. "Uh, yeah, everything's peachy keen," he stammered. "I just want us to spend quality time together."

Rory smiled. "Aw, you softie. I was going to surprise you. I won't be going home this weekend. We can do something more than just spend quality time together then."

Logan heaved a heavy sigh. "But I won't."

"You won't?" Rory's smiled expression reverted to a frown. "So what am I to do with myself this weekend?"

"Maybe you can hang out with some old buddies of yours," Logan suggested.

"Like whom? And don't say Paris," Rory threatened. Rory was still trying to hide from her old roommate when she started grilling her about Tristin when she came back to school that Monday.

"I don't know," he feigned ignorance. "How about that friend of yours from last weekend? Tristin!"

'Tristin?' Rory questioned his suggestion. "Why would you want me to hang out with him?"

"I know for a fact he won't dare try and take you away from me," he said with smug arrogance.

"Have you lost your mind, Huntzberger?" Rory questioned his sanity. "You don't know the Satan's spawn and he is a tricky devil, mind you."

"Let's say that I trust him," Logan said, his clear blue eyes egging her to challenge his decision.

"Why can't I go away with you this weekend?" Rory quietly asked him.

Logan sighed. He felt like the biggest creep. "Because the family's having a quiet get together."

"Oh," escaped from Rory's lips.

Rory had met his parents once and they gave her the cursory once over. She hated it. She felt worse when they found out that she was a Gilmore; like the name mattered.

The thought of the condescending stare made her shudder. She'd seen her grandparents do it to Luke and Dean when they came over to the Gilmore mansion and she still thought it wrong to make someone feel so invaluable.

"Rory, don't get me wrong," Logan tried to appease her. "I would love you there but the trip to Boston will be long and boring..."

"And your parents would be embarrassed to have to introduce me as your girlfriend," Rory finished his statement.

Logan touched her knee. "It's nothing like that."

Rory was trying not to feel emotional about the whole ordeal but was finding it rather difficult to remain upbeat about it. "I know."

The tension between them was so thick, Rory felt suffocated by it. She started rummaging her purse for the cell phone when Logan offered it to her from his pocket.

"You left this over my place last night," he said.

She grabbed the device from his hand and deliberated whether to call her mother at that very instant or deal with the problem at hand.

"Logan, I'd like to be alone, if you please," she ordered him, the lump on her throat becoming evident as she spoke.

Logan sighed and got up from the chair. "Rory, let's talk."

"Logan, please leave me alone," she repeated her plea.

Logan bent over and kissed her on the cheek. She tried to avoid him but her body won't allow her to. She wanted to assure herself that the childish act she just pulled was an overreaction to her willingness to give in to his demands when he had the ability to brush off any of her requests without a second thought.

"I'll call you tonight," he said softly before walking away.

She heard the door shut with a light thud. She surveyed the room only to see two other people that Wednesday afternoon: the custodian emptying out some bins and Glenn walking in and out of the microfiche room.

Pressing the up arrow on her cell phone, she dialed the first number that came on the screen, thinking it was her mother. She was rather surprised to hear a man's voice greet her.

"Hello?" the tenor voice greeted her.

"Tristin?"


	9. Jealousy Rears its Ugly Head

CHAPTER 9

Tristin was on pins and needles since Wednesday afternoon. He received a cryptic message from Logan predicting a phone call from Rory. Despite the call being welcome, Logan's message felt like a set up for something he preferred not to be part of.

"Hi, this is Logan. Don't ask why I'm calling. Rory's going to be calling you some time today and I want you to spend time with her just until I straighten some things out. Promise me that you won't tell her about this. Thanks, I owe you one, buddy," Tristin remembered Logan saying.

He paced the marbled Grand Central Station floor nervously. He started fretting when he glanced at his watch and realized that she was fifteen minutes late. The thinning population in the tourist attraction made him uncomfortable.

"Where are you?" he huffed, shoving his hands deeper in his winter coat.

He knew that there might be some traveling delays due to the unexpected snow dump the night before. Again, he glanced at his wristband. Anxiety was getting the best of him.

"Hey!" a soft voice behind him called his attention. "I'm sorry I didn't call."

He turned around and saw Rory's face flushed from the cold. She was bundled up in a gray heavy wool pea coat and a pair of dark pants. Her chocolate brown boots made her legs look longer and shapelier.

He wished she were his. He would've picked her up off of her feet, swung her around and planted a big kiss on her lips. He would've scolded her for being late and making him worry about her.

What was he thinking?

"Hi," he grinned back at her. "I was worried there for a second," he told her as he openly received the hug she offered.

"I had to catch the later trip. My last class ran longer than usual. I'm sorry," she meekly apologized.

"Well, you're here in one piece. That's all that matters," he said as he took her overnight bag from her.

"So," she dragged the word out. "Where are we starting?"

Where should they start? Sophomore year? Last Thanksgiving? Tristin was transported back to their conversation earlier that week. Rory sounded like she was surprised to hear him on the end of the phone despite the fact that she called him first. They talked and teased each other about their stressors, namely Christmas break and finals.

"Oh, I will be so glad when I am done with this semester. It makes me realize that I don't want to be a grown up anymore," Rory let out.

"Why don't you come to new York this weekend? It'll get your mind off of school. Besides, you need a break from postcard America," he suggested, the latter comment referring to Stars Hollow.

"What's in New York?" she asked as she played with the pencil on her table.

"Other than the Empire State Building? Me," he said frankly.

"You? I thought you went to Stanford or some west coast school?" she asked.

"You're getting me confused with your other boyfriend, Rory," he teased. "I go to Columbia."

"How convenient," she said sarcastically.

"So, are coming up?" he asked again.

Rory deliberately made him wait with bated breath. She had no reason to stay in her dorm room if she didn't have to. She also told her mother that she was staying away from Stars Hollow so that she and Luke can have some quiet time. Why should she feel guilty for taking Logan's suggestion to hang out with an old friend?

"Yes," she said nervously.

"Great," he responded. "You'll have fun in my playground."

"Earth to Tristin!" Rory brought him back to the present. "Are you okay?" she asked him, laying a hand on his arm. He looked into her expressive corn-blue eyes. Her expression softened him. He swore under his breath. She should not be allowed to have this kind of effect to any man, especially him. He can't claim her as his own.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he collected his thoughts. "Are you hungry?"

"Famished," she said. "Do you know any good places to eat?"

.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Twenty minutes and a bag full of take out food later, Rory and Tristin tumbled into his little off-campus apartment.

"Home away from home," he whispered as he turned on the lights.

It wasn't much more than a matchbox of a room. His bed was right by the window. There was a TV that took space across from his bed. Two beanie bags substituted as couches. Two barstools occupied the space under the breakfast nook. A stovetop oven and a full-sized refrigerator completed the room.

"It's not much but it beats a barracks room," he told her. "I've got a bathroom to myself and hot, running water."

"I love it," Rory said, walking around the small space.

Tristin dropped her bag in the hallway closet while he deposited the food on the breakfast nook. He shrugged off his coat and draped it over the chair.

"May I?" he asked Rory, referring to her coat.

Rory looked at him for a moment until she realized what he was asking. "Oh, sure. Thanks," she mumbled as he helped her out of her coat. Rory all of a sudden realized she was comparing Tristin to Logan. How come she doesn't remember Logan being so chivalrous?

"So, what can I help you with?" Rory asked, trying to avoid uncomfortable silence.

"Nothing," he said, retrieving a coat hanger from the closet. "You're a guest so you get to be treated like one."

"Really? This will be interesting," she replied, taking a seat on the barstool.

"Are you saying that I cannot impress you?" he challenged Rory. He retrieved two Smirnoff Ice drinks from the refrigerator.

"Uh, not if you're just putting take out on plates. Even my mom can do that," Rory guffawed.

"You know what? Your mom amazes me," he chuckled.

"She does, huh?" Rory asked, taking a sip from the bottle. "She's taken a liking to you, too."

"Even if she knows I took her precious daughter away from the party?" he delved. "And after she cornered me at the mall..."

"She thinks you're pretty good in the BS department. She gives you a ten for handling her with kid gloves," Rory reported.

"Wow," he chuckled. "Is your mom dating anyone?"

"Ouch!" Rory said. "You want to be my step dad?"

"We can be guests on Jerry Springer," Tristin teased. "You, me, your mom. It'll be a blast!"

"You'll stoop that low for a laugh, won't you?" Rory asked.

"Only to see you smile," he said sweetly.

"I told you not to say things like that," Rory warned him.

Tristin chugged down the remains of his bottle. "I know, I know. But if your boyfriend is not around to make you feel good, I should at least make an attempt to fill his spot for a moment or two."

Rory stroked the neck of the almost empty bottle. She was still confused as to why Logan didn't want her around for a family gathering. She was disappointed that Logan makes her feel like she's an embarrassment and not worthy to take home.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Tristin asked her quietly.

Rory looked up and smiled at him. "Nah, just thinking about Logan."

Tristin hummed. "Good one. Gave yourself some space before we got too "intimate"," he added, making quotation marks with his fingers.

"It's nothing like that," Rory corrected him. Tristin took out several plates, bowls and napkins. He also took out more drinks from the refrigerator. He uncapped the drinks and set a freshly opened bottle in front of Rory. "Besides, I am immune to your charms, remember?" she teased.

"So enlighten me," he encouraged her.

"How much do you think have I changed since you last seen me?" Rory asked.

'Your hair, the way you talk, the way you move, the way you make me feel like I can be vulnerable around you,' Tristin rambled off in his head. "Not much, I think. You're still feisty, very introspective, not impulsive..."

"I, too, am impulsive!" she retorted.

"Tell me one impulsive thing you've done," Tristin dared her.

"I've jumped off a seven story scaffolding with an umbrella," she said immediately.

"You did what?" he asked, almost spitting out his drink.

"A Mary Poppins bit," Rory said proudly. "Dress and all."

"Did you have a suitcase and a brain with you when you did it?" Tristin mocked.

"Yes, and everything was safe," Rory said. "After all, I am sitting in front of you."

"Am I to expect that Logan was the one who got you to do something more dangerous than getting a paper cut from your novel of the week?" Tristin deduced.

"Actually I haven't really been delving into my books recently," Rory admitted, a frown breaking on the plane of her face. Come to think of it, almost a year!

"Wow, I'd give the boy credit for getting you to do something... daring," he carefully chose his words.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Rory asked.

"Rory, can you do anything bad?" he asked, setting a plate of food in front of her. He handed her a pair of chopsticks to eat her meal with.

"I'm not perfect, you know," Rory informed him.

"But close to it," Tristin said with gusto. "Tell me this," he asked between bites, "if we were in an alternate universe and we went our separate ways in better terms, would you trust me like you do Logan?"

Rory paused and thought. She twirled her noodles with her sticks. She had to think out of the box to give him a proper response. Could she have given him the same trust? Without being too direct, she said, "I rode away with you even if I knew I would get into trouble last Thanksgiving. If I can trust you in this universe, who knows what could happen in other worlds?"

Tristin looked away and cleared his throat. "I can't believe that I'm saying this but I think I'm jealous of him."

"Why'd you say that?" she asked.

"Because you glow when you talk of him. You love him so much that you're selling him to me," he said.

"Am I?" she asked, blushing.

"Be careful, Rory. I might try to find a chink in his armor so that I can be the one you'd talk about like that," he playfully threatened.

"You won't," she countered.

"Try me," he dared.


	10. And So the Other Shoe Falls

CHAPTER 10

"I can't believe I am doing this," Tristin grumbled unhappily. He was taking his annoyance on the speed laces he was binding together.

"Why? Because I'm asking you to do this with me?" Rory asked. She had wide grin on her face that could not be hindered. He could see that she was cold and yet, her excitement seemed to disperse the chill.

"No," he adamantly said. "It's just... It's just because it's a silly sport. If God wanted me to be on blades, He would've attached them on my feet," he responded.

Rory let out an exasperated sigh at his indignation to indulge her. "Smartass. What do I have to do to get you to hurry up?" she asked, unassuming.

'You don't want to know,' Tristin said to himself, naughty thoughts getting the best of him.

The first few skaters on the ice had set foot on the slick surface. They could hear the blades cutting though the freshly smoothed over ice.

"C'mon!" she pleaded like a five year old.

He wished he had a camera at that moment: her cheeks and her nose were rose red and her pale skin was porcelain white from the cold. His hands itched to grab the scull cap she had on and have her hair blow everywhere.

The running commentary in his brain about a person he thought was a ship passing through the night had become the main attraction in his current fantasy. Her persistent cajoling wanted him to hush her up by crushing her lips against him; something he knew won't fly well between them.

"Are you scared?" Rory taunted him.

"As a matter of fact," he paused for dramatic effect, "I've never ice-skated."

"You never ice-skated," Rory deadpanned her partner. "You serious? You live in a state that's under snow for at least a third of the year."

He returned the stare.

"Oh you deprived child!" she said. The tone of her sarcasm was just begging for a verbal comeback.

" Are you trying to challenge my manhood?" he confronted her, the tease becoming more a point of contention. He tried intimidating her by bringing his face so close to her he might as well have stolen the air she breathed. "Because if you are, I guess I just have to prove you wrong otherwise."

"Oh, stop being so melodramatic," Rory said, rolling her eyes at him, missing the double entendre. "Come on, if a kid can do it, you can, too." She offered her hands to him, palms up, for him to hold on, too. With seriousness, she said, "I promise not to let go of you."

Trust. It was one word he didn't like using because it means so much to him. But somehow, he knew Rory would not squander the value so lightly. He cautiously stood up from the bench and precariously tried to get his balance. He was proud of himself when he didn't topple both of them over.

"That's good. The worst part is over," Rory praised him.

"I think you have to wait and see if I actually get my feet going," he stated. He gingerly took a step towards the rink, his grip tight around Rory's hand. She guided them towards the ice before she turned around and started skating backwards to face him.

"Relax," she whispered, her bright blue eyes soliciting trust from him.

It never occurred to Rory that for once, the man she had always seen as self-sufficient and cocky is actually a vulnerable man afraid to face something totally unnatural to him. She found the awkwardness more human, if not downright sexy, especially from a person that oozed enough of it.

"You're telling me to relax? The mere thought that I can fall flat on my face at any time and crush you along the way is intimidating enough," he said through gritted teeth.

Rory felt guilty and empathetic at his attempts. She rubbed his gloved fingers with her thumb, hoping he would relax. "The less tense you are, the easier it would be on your legs and hips."

"Trust me, relaxing my legs and hips on blades is something I wouldn't put together in the same sentence at this time," he tried to relieve the tension, chuckling at the notion. He was surprised to feel the change when he followed her advice.

"There you go," she cheered him on. After skating a few yards, Rory took her position next to him, holding only one hand. He smiled at her as he got into the rhythm. In silence, they glided on, stealing glances at each other every once in a while.

"I think I'm getting the hang of this," he muttered.

"I think so, too!" she proudly exclaimed. She heard giggling at the entrance of the rink and noticed a group of girls looking at them. From the pitch of their voices, Rory deduced that they had their eyes on her companion.

"I think you've developed a fan club over there," Rory teased him.

"You're loco," he chuckled, still clinging to her.

"I swear. Look!" she pointed out. He whipped his head to the side and instead of seeing the group she was pointing at he lost his balance and fell over.

"Toe pick!" Rory laughed out loud. She could see him turn red from his spill. Her delight was not from the fact that he fell but at how adorable he looked on the rink. Snow shavings peppered his jeans and his brown corduroy Sherpa coat. He let out a loud laugh at his luck: a gaggle of girls became his perpetual downfall.

"You're going to pay for this," Tristin said grinning at her.

"How?" she asked.

Tristin playfully reached out and tugged on her coat. She spun around on her skates and unceremoniously fell on top of him.

"I will extract revenge on you when I take you snowboarding," he threatened her. The twinkle in his eye was a promise he intended to keep.

The frost from their breaths mingled. Their eyes met, dueling to see who would blink first. She could feel through the layers of clothing how rapid his heart pounded against his chest. He could see the rapid ticking Rory's pulse throbbed on her neck. Tristin wondered if the sparks flying between them melted the ice they were on top off. Both tried to look away and both failed miserably. Their breathing became more rapid and shallow. A kiss. Like magnets, their lips inched towards each other slowly. Millimeters apart, the bell that warns everyone to get off the ice chimed.

"I think someone's telling us to get off," he said.

Rory, left befuddled, got off of him reluctantly. She helped him get on his feet slowly. Then they skated away in silence.

They returned the boots behind the counter. Their speech was wooden and scripted like they were covering up a lie. Neither one of them wanted to acknowledge the fact that the dynamics between them have changed somehow; now they're trapped in it.

"So, how about that trip to the Empire State building?" he asked on their way out.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Rory mumbled.

Tristin hated uncomfortable silence. He knew the gears in her head were moving hard and fast. It's not that he doesn't want for her to figure out that he is falling fast and hard for her no matter how unintentional it was. A wave of emotion suddenly overcame him. His thoughts on Jessica and how she crept on him came rushing back. The thought that he was basically doing the same thing to Rory and Logan freaked him out.

"Quick, what are the five things that remind you of New York?" he solicited from her.

Snapping out from her trance, Rory looked at Tristin. "What?"

"Five things that remind you of New York," he repeated his question.

"Empire State Building. Central Park. Broadway. Statue of Liberty," she enumerated. "Ooh! Ooh! Breakfast at Tiffany's!"

"Alright, here's the plan," he said. "We're going to try to hit most those places today... at least the ones that I would not mind being caught dead on."

"You're taking me to Tiffany's?" she asked, her mind distracted from what she was thinking of earlier.

"Sure, we're on..." he stopped talking as he noticed a very recognizable blonde coming out of the popular jewelry store with another blonde, someone definitely strikingly beautiful but nonetheless, not Rory.

"What?" Rory asked, stopping when he stopped walking. She tried to get on her tiptoes to see what he's looking at.

"Uh..." he tried to improvise, "We'll start with a carriage ride through Central Park, then go to the Empire State Building. Then we'll go to Tiffany's if we make it before it closes tonight. If you're going to be a good girl, I'll treat you to some great coffee."

Rory jumped up and down excitedly. "You are? Oh my God. The last time I was on a carriage was so long ago, I forgot how fun those things are."

"Are you ready for the finale of the day?" he asked.

She nodded her head eagerly.

"We'll see the Christmas tree at night at Rockefeller before we head on back," he suggested to her trying to cover up his sudden urge to clobber a certain person they are both acquainted with.

"You're the greatest!" she said, wrapping her arms around her neck.

"Yeah," he muttered. "Super."


	11. Lorelai's Divine Intervention

CHAPTER 11

Rory woke up to the sound of the heater humming. The rhythmic drone was soothing to her. She wished she could say the same for her soreness. She blinked and realized she was in the most uncomfortable sleeping position she had ever slept in her entire life. She squinted when her eyes focused on the window streaming in sunlight.

Last night came flooding through her memory: the drinks, the jokes and their Mystery Science Theater commentary on the late night TV show. She remembered them squabbling over who would get the bed. The point was moot when both ended up sleeping on the beanie chairs and the floor wrapped up in their blankets as they talked the night away.

The beanie bag she remembered sitting on supported most of her weight. She was surprised that she didn't mind the floor the second night especially with Tristin next to her. If it were Logan, she knew the bed in the corner would've already gotten a merry-go round ride at least once. Rory's eyes were still trying to focus when her sight fell on Tristin. Somehow during the night, he decided to take a prone position on the floor.

Rory tried to stretch out. Surprisingly, other than the soreness, she was well rested. She stared at the sleeping figure across from her. He was so peaceful. She had woken up next to Logan numerous times and never had the urge to stare at him in his most unguarded state.

"Mary, stare at me any longer and you're going to turn me into a frog," he muttered from under his arm.

"Frogs don't do me any good," Rory responded, feeling guilty that he caught her staring at him. "How about morphing you into a cup of coffee?"

"It better be the good stuff," he grumbled, rolling onto his back.

"Good morning," Rory said. "What time did we get to sleep?"

"I lost track after midnight," he sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

Rory leaned back on the beanie bag. "Did I ever say 'thank you'?" she asked.

"It's my pleasure," he said. Leaning against his elbows to prop himself up, he asked, "You want to use the bathroom first?"

"You promise this time not to barge in on me?" she asked.

"Spoil sport," he grunted. He accidentally walked into Rory in the bathroom the day before. One thing he wasn't in the morning is alert. He went on his daily routine forgetting for a moment he had a guest in his house: at that, a partially naked guest. The second of embarrassment they both experienced was chalked up to old habits. He walked out of the bathroom and she continued getting dressed. Neither spoke of the event.

Rory got up from her seat and retrieved her things from the closet. As soon as she disappeared into the bathroom, Tristin stood up and collected their blankets and tossed them on the bed.

It took him a long time to adjust to liking mornings. Mornings reminded him of the Academy runs. It reminded him of why he had to leave his past without his permission. He had to abandon everything he was comfortable with to suit everyone's needs but his. But he learned to love those mornings. It gave him solace; it became time to himself he didn't have to share with anyone. The long runs are the worst. He usually ended up begging and pleading to whatever deity listened to him. The short jogs gave him just enough time to escape reality. Today, he wasn't going out for his 2-mile jog but he might as well be on runner's high. He was with someone whose company he started liking.

He hummed an old Mr. Big tune in his head. He started brewing fresh coffee in the coffee pot and he retrieved a pan from the oven. Who thought that cooking breakfast for someone would get him motivated?

Rory emerged from the bathroom with a fresh change of clothes and damp hair. To Tristin, the whole set up felt so natural. Even when he was with Jessica, they never had the morning silence or the sunrise banter. Tristin paused. What is he getting himself into?

"So, what are you cooking?" Rory asked, peering over his shoulder.

"I hope at this point, eggs," he pointed out the obvious, looking through his refrigerator. The choice selection of fruits and vegetables in his refrigerator impressed her. Even she and her mother only grew the garden mold variety kind in iceboxes like his.

"You're serious. You're making me breakfast?' she teased.

"Don't push your luck. I've got cereal in the cupboard for you if you keep this up," he threatened playfully.

Tristin put out a spread of onion leeks, bell peppers, an assortment of cheese and Italian sausages for her to choose from. She decided to help him make the omelet.

Ten minutes later, a selection of toast, sausages and the omelet decorated the breakfast nook. Coffee mugs in hand, both of them started eating.

"So, what do you want to do?" Tristin asked.

"I don't know," Rory responded thoughtfully.

"Well, we can walk downtown again before you have to head back to Yale," he suggested.

Rory crinkled her nose at the thought. Despite their lovely walk through New York City, something inside Rory just told her to spend time indoors with Tristin.

"What, not feeling adventurous?" Tristin teased.

"It's not that," Rory said. "I guess I just want to find the New York Times, do the crossword puzzle…"

"In other words, be lazy," Tristin clarified.

"Anything wrong with that?" Rory asked, taking a bite of her omelet.

Tristin smiled at her. "No. It's actually refreshing. I thought you were going to really push shopping today."

"Hmm, no. I'll reserve that next time I wanna see you cry," she teased.

"God, you are evil," he responded.

Their quiet moment was interrupted by a call on Rory's cell phone. She excused herself from the table and answered the call.

"Hello," she responded.

"So, there I was looking at this dress that I think I will use to mom's Christmas dinner. It's got a long slit on the thigh and it can shock mom and give easy access to Luke when he'd want to tease me. You gotta come look at it," Lorelai said, her voice laced with wickedness.

Rory had her back against the window. She was studying Tristin from a distance. "I can't."

"You can't? Ugh, is Blondie keeping you away from mommy again?" Lorelai whined.

"No," Rory responded indignantly. A blush crept from her throat to her face. Her adamant response made Tristin look her way, grinning at her for reacting so passionately. "I am just a little farther than usual this weekend."

"Tell me you actually decided to do the unpredictable and took a trip to Aruba without me," Lorelai said quickly.

"Nothing that drastic," Rory said. "I'm in New York."

"What's in New York?" Lorelai asked, confused.

"Tristin," Rory said trying not to break into a smile.

"No!" Lorelai responded, surprised and delighted at the same time. "Spill!"

"Mom!" Rory might as well have tanned from her constant reddening. Her mother was not making it easy on her to talk about the man that was just a few steps away.

"Ooh, is he naked? Is he a clean freak? Ooh, boxers or briefs?" Lorelai asked in rapid succession.

"No, somewhat and I don't know," Rory responded.

"You are no fun," Lorelai grumbled. "Let me talk to Rebel."

"Why?" Rory questioned.

"Because I'm your mom and you follow orders implicitly," Lorelai confidently responded.

Rory sighed and pulled the device away from her ear. She walked towards Tristin and offered her phone to him. "Mom wants to talk to you."

Tristin shook his head and took the phone from her.

"Hello? Hi, Lorelai…" Tristin responded, charming her mother like she was the only woman on the face of the earth. Rory was quite amused, playing with her food until he got off the phone with her mother who didn't bother to say goodbye to her one more time before hanging up.

"So, what did mom ask you?" Rory interrogated Tristin.

"Jealous?" he asked.

"Scared," Rory replied. "She asks the queerest questions."

"It's boxer briefs, by the way," he responded, a leer forming on his face.

"Why would I want to know that information?" Rory retorted, her face getting warm again. She hated being susceptible to his teasing.

"Your mom told me to tell you so that you know the answer the next time she asks you again," he chuckled.

Rory grumbled at him, getting up to get another cup of coffee. "Other than you conspiring with my mom to humiliate me, what did she want?"

"She asked me to bundle you up and do something you were supposed to do with her when fresh powder had fallen," he said mysteriously.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You'll see," he responded to her query.

.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"Inconceivable!" Rory yelled out from the snow.

"Now if there's anything more daring than this, I want to know what it is because I would've not ever thought of this in a million years!" Tristin yelled back.

They found themselves in the middle of Central Park making snow angels courtesy of Lorelai Gilmore.

"Only my mom would put you up to this," Rory said, giggling. She didn't care that her only fresh pair of jeans were soaking wet from the snow.

Tristin sat up and stared at her. "It's better than a snowball fight!" he announced, throwing at her a freshly packed ball.

"Stinker!" Rory yelled out. She tried extracting revenge at him by hitting him with a ball of her own. Unfortunately, she was not as successful in hitting her aim.

They got up from their snow angels and ran around in circles like kids. They laughed and hollered, attracting dirty looks from day walkers and runners. They started as two and as the minutes passed, children, young and old, joined them tagging each other with the snow. Tristin and Rory finally quit when children, half their age, were pelting them.

"That was fun," Rory said, walking away from the still continuing snowball fight, now complete with a fortified wall and more adults than one could count.

"I can't believe you can throw!" Tristin complimented her.

Rory punched him on the shoulder. "You were not playing fair."

"Would've your mom pulled the same trick?" Tristin asked.

Rory was tongue-tied. "Well- yes," she hesitated saying.

"Okay then," he said with finality.

"But she doesn't throw as hard as you do!" she responded. Suddenly, it dawned on her. "Mom put you up to this, too!"

"Her wish is my command," he said.

"Brown noser!" she mocked.

Tristin threw his head back in laughter. He extended his arm and threw it over Rory's shoulders. "Just be thankful I didn't do what your mom really wanted me to do."

"And what's that?' she asked.

"Shove snow down your back," he told her frankly.

"Thank you," Rory responded.

"Oh don't worry," he said. "I'll be keeping my word to your mom."

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The only thing Rory hated about winter is how early the sun set over the horizon. Dusk came too soon. That Sunday afternoon, she felt culpable for not wanting to get back to Yale.

Tristin stood by her on the platform, not wanting her to go. But the clock was ticking and he knew the storybook ending had to be read.

"Oh crap, I forgot to get a souvenir," Rory muttered out loud.

"What?" Tristin asked.

"A souvenir!" she said. "Mom said that wherever I go, I should always get a souvenir. That way I can always remember what happened."

"Take this," Tristin said. He reached over from behind his neck and undid the clasp of his necklace. It was his St. Christopher medal given to him on his Christening Day.

"I can't ," Rory hesitated.

"Well," he said, trying to put the necklace around her neck. "It's a temporary souvenir until you can come back to New York."

Rory took the gift without another word.

Tristin patted the medal when it settled between her collarbones.

The overhead system announced the arrival of Rory's ride.

"That's me," she whispered.

"I know," he whispered back.

"I had a wonderful weekend," she said.

"Yeah," he said with a heavy heart.

Rory started walking away when Tristin called out to her.

"Rory!" he yelled.

She turned around to face him.

"Be careful around Huntzberger," he warned her.

"What do you mean?" she quizzically asked.

"Just promise me," he urgently advised her.

Rory nodded to him before boarding her ride.

Her ride pulled away from the platform. Her thoughts were accompanied with "I Want You to Want Me" playing in the background quietly.

Tristin walked away whistling "Wild World". Then, a wild thought entered his head. Maybe Logan needed a dose of his own medicine.

"Logan, what the hell were you thinking?" he said over the phone.


	12. Sharpen The Knives it's Attack Time

CHAPTER 12

"Sydney, can't we talk about this later?" Logan asked the girl who was still sitting on the couch across from him.

"No. Not until you tell me why I feel like you're backing out on me!" the blonde responded.

Logan rubbed his temples hoping the headache he had would go away. He wished the woman in front of him could do the same.

"I am not backing out on you," he sighed.

"Then what is it? Stress? I mean I know your dad can be really hard on you," she purred, walking towards Logan. She sashayed toward him like she had an imaginary short skirt on instead of her low rider jeans.

"Please," Logan snorted. "It just started."

"You're very pessimistic," she huffed before taking a seat next to him.

"Sydney, do you think this is what we really want? I mean, you and I haven't been together…" Logan retorted.

"What happened to you, Logan? When we were kids, we were joined at the hip. Then all of a sudden, I feel like you wanted to get rid of me. We used to have so much fun. I feel like the Logan I left with to go traipsing around the world with two years ago isn't the same one I came home with," she reminded him. "I feel like you've changed and you forgot to take me with you."

"Sydney," he said, kneeling in front of her. "You and I will have something no one can take away from us. But this thing…"

The doorbell rang.

Logan growled. He welcomed the interruption, however inconvenient.

Logan took long strides towards the door and opened it. Right before him stood one Rory Gilmore.

"Ace!" he exclaimed.

"Hey," she said back. She reached out and gave him a tepid hug. "How was your weekend?" Rory asked him as she stepped into his apartment.

Logan hesitated in letting Rory in but he knew that if he stopped her now, red flags would be flying. "Great, I guess."

"Good. I would've…" Rory stopped on her tracks. "Oh… Hi."

"Hi!" said the perky blonde. "You're Rory, right? I've heard much about you."

"Really?" Rory responded, somehow mystified by the thought.

"Yeah. Logan had a ton of stories about you," she said. "By the way, I'm Sydney." She put her hand out for Rory to shake.

"Hi Sydney," Rory said, "I'm Rory." She extended her arm and shook her hand politely.

"I take it Logan hadn't spoken of me," she muttered.

"I'm sorry," Rory apologized.

"That's Logan for you," she chuckled. "Sometimes he leaves out details. He's really good at that."

"Point taken," Rory mumbled. She still was confused at what had just transpired. She was in her boyfriend's apartment having a conversation with a girl she had no clue existed in Logan's world.

"Well, anyway, I have to drive to school now. It's bad enough that my first class is at eight," Sydney said, collecting her coat and purse. "It was nice meeting you, Rory."

"Likewise," Rory responded demurely.

"Logan, call me. We have to finish our conversation," she pointed her finger at him.

"I will, I will," he said, his hand guiding her out the door.

She gave him a peck on the cheek. "Ooh, by the way, you're going to be there, right?" Sydney asked looking at Rory.

"If I knew what you were talking all about, I might," Rory baited her hesitantly.

Sydney rolled her eyes. "Men!" she commented on Logan's inability to pass on information. "This Saturday, we're having a party!"

"You are?" Rory responded, still confused. She could see from the corner of her eye that Logan was perturbed by Sydney's invite.

"I was going to tell you about it when we talked tonight," Logan lied Rory. "Thanks for telling Rory for me, Sydney."

Rory paused before responding to the awkward invite. "Uh, sure. I'll be there if you want me to," Rory replied.

"Super. It's semi-formal but I know Logan will tell you all the details. If not, give me a call, okay love? Gotta go," she said before waving goodbye to them. Seconds later, Logan shut the door behind her.

"Thank God she left," he muttered, leaning his head on the shut door.

"So, who's Sydney?" Rory went for the jugular the moment they were alone.

"No one," Logan denied, closing the gap between them. "I missed you," he said, changing the subject.

Rory tried to read between the lines and found his response ambiguous. Maybe she was just mentally fatigued from the weekend and the almost two hour commute.

"I missed you, too," Rory responded unconvincingly.

"Are you still upset with me?" he asked, nuzzling her ear.

"No," Rory fibbed.

"Good, I didn't like leaving you alone this weekend," he muttered as he nibbled her earlobe.

Rory was getting weak in the knees. He always knew how to get to her. However, the weight of the medallion on her neck seemed to weigh her down.

"Well, I took your suggestion and hung out with a friend," she told him nonchalantly.

Logan immediately stopped what he was doing and pulled away. "How did that go?"

"Actually, better than I thought," she responded.

"Really?" Logan took a step away from her on folded his arms across his chest.

"Yeah? Where did you go?" he asked.

"New York," she said.

Logan turned a shade of red and broke eye contact with her. "That's nice. Go anywhere special?"

Rory stared at Logan like he lost his head. "Aren't you even curious as to who I hung out with this weekend?"

"Well… yeah," Logan paused.

Rory huffed. In her head, she could see Tristin taunting her with an 'I-told-you-so' look. She didn't know whether or not she should admit to Logan that she had suddenly had second thoughts about them as a couple.

"You know, I came here thinking that you and I could work out this – thing – between us. But, now, I am not sure," Rory said to him. She got up and walked wearily toward the door.

"Rory, wait," Logan grumbled. He was quite dumbfounded that his day started badly and it never looked up since then. "What can I do to make it up to you?"

Rory paused, her hand on the door. She turned around to look at him. "At this point, I don't know. When you get a clue, give me a call."

She turned the knob and walked away.

Logan ran his hands through his hair. "Damn it!" he swore. He knew he wasn't supposed to have Sydney around when Rory arrived. It didn't help that Sydney invited Rory to an event he really didn't want her to be in.

"Damn!" he said again.

It really bothered Logan that for once in his life he questioned his very being. He used to be contented being his father's henchman. The last two years, he wasn't sure he wanted to even go down the golden path his father had carefully laid before him.

He recalled the first time he met Sydney DuPont. He was five years old and was forced to go to a play date. He wore a pair of black slacks and a Ralph Lauren sweater. He remembered snagging it and now, the loose thread became his playmate. He was sitting by the alcove close to the door when he saw her.

She walked through the door wearing a red dress, very similar to the Madeline doll she clutched preciously close to her chest. Her blonde ringlets framed her cherubic face. She walked towards him and batted away the hands that pulled on the stray threads. He was going to scream at her when she laced her fingers between his and led him to the group of children playing in the next room.

Since then, they have almost never left each other's side. She was right. They've never really been apart. That's why he felt very betrayed when she transferred to Princeton the moment they came back after wandered the world in his father's yacht. He, Sydney, Collin and Finn decided to see the world rather than attend their sophomore year in Yale. During that trip he decided he didn't want to be his father's shadow. The sudden attack of conscience meant that he would never be able to support Sydney in the manner she is accustomed to in life.

"Forget about her, man. You're in dire need of a new wench anyway," Finn said when she moved away.

So he met Rory. He was fixated with her the moment she berated him for treating his bartender badly. What's his name again? Marty? She was so passionate and it was refreshing. He hated the fact that she still hangs out with him but that's the least of his concerns right now.

Logan sat on the floor and hung his head. What was he to do? He was hoping that Rory going to the Big Apple would at least distract her until he broke up with Sydney. However, from the tone Tristin used over the phone, Logan might as well face the firing squad.

The phone rang on the other end. He prayed that Tristin's phone mail would pick up. Luck was definitely not on his side that night.

"I was wondering when you were going to call," Tristin responded, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You got me. What do you want me to do?" Logan admitted in defeat.

"Be a man," Tristin hissed.

"What?" Logan asked.

"Cut the crap, Logan," Tristin bit his head off. "You lied to Rory and you're using me. Do you want me to tell Rory that I saw you with some chick shopping at Tiffany's?"

Logan bleached at what Tristin said. He witnessed him and Sydney together. What else could go wrong?

"Why didn't you do it, Tristin?" Logan asked through gritted teeth.

"I won't do your dirty work for you," Tristin said. "Do you know what could've happened if Rory saw you with that other girl?"

"Enough. I know I screwed up," Logan confessed.

"Then stop deluding Rory. She deserves more," Tristin said.

"Like whom? Someone like you?" Logan gloated.

"Better than a snake like you," he countered.

"That's it, isn't it? I'll be the bad guy and you're going to be the prince who'd make everything alright?" Logan spat out.

"Who again set me and her up? Oh yeah, you. How do you think Rory would react to that news if I tell her that you're two timing her?" Tristin dared him.

"Okay, you won!" Logan said angrily. "Happy?"

"Only when I know she's rid of you," Tristin grumbled.

"Name the time and place, buddy," Logan dared, using the friend term sarcastically.

"Let's make it a pop quiz, buddy," he said using the same word in a similar derogatory manner. "I'll come down for a visit. If I see hide or hair of you around her …"

Static hummed through the silent air.

"I think you should be asking yourself why you want me around when you feel you're going to screw up," Tristin said before hanging up.

"Bastard!" Logan yelled out when he heard the dead tone on the other end.


	13. An Analogy of Personalities

CHAPTER 13

"I swear to God, I am done with men," Rory proclaimed to Lane as they sat in Ashley's Ice Cream Shop that cold winter day.

"That bad, huh?" Lane asked as she shoved a spoonful of sundae in her mouth.

"Ugh, Logan is just so... annoying recently," Rory complained. "One week he's like the best boyfriend ever and now, he's just so possessive and secretive."

"Are you sure you're not just PMSing?" her best friend inquired.

"If I was, decapitating him would've been an obvious reaction," Rory responded, licking her spoon clean.

"Ouch," Lane commented.

"Enough about me," Rory said. "So, Zach lent you the car, huh? I guess things are really serious between you and the guitar man."

Lane blushed. "As long as I put gas in the car and make sure that the radiator cap is on, he's pretty laid back about it."

"See? Why can't I have a smooth sailing relationship like that?" Rory asked. "I constantly have to deal with egotistical parents and snot-nosed, high brow kids."

"It's because your pond is a little bigger than mine," Lane pointed out. "If mama went ahead and forced me to go to Bible College, trust me, we would be comparing stories and mine would have a Korean minister's son in the running rather than your snot-nosed high brow kid. However, I think mama has warmed to the idea that living in Connecticut results in higher chances of me dating and marrying a Caucasian than a good, old, born and bred Korean boy."

"Why can't we just go back to being kids and not have these kinds of problems?" Rory whined, toying with the medallion between her forefinger and her thumb.

"Because we would be under the constant glare of our ever loving parents?" Lane stated the obvious.

"Good point," Rory said, taking another scoop of her banana split.

Rory's was upset that her Monday still looked bleak after her argument with Logan the night before. She tried calling Tristin after the blowout just to let him know that she got home safely but his line was busy and his voice mailbox was full. She did not bother calling her mom because she will give her the answer she didn't want to hear: break up with him.

"So what are you going to do about it?" Lane broke into her reverie, returning them to their prior conversation. "By the way, cute medallion. Is that new?"

"It's a loaner," Rory said, laughing softy as she let go of the ornament. "A different story for a later date."

"I take it this isn't a short story, right? So I digress. Logan?" Lane spoke telegraphically.

"I don't know. Part of me wants to break it off but our argument isn't really justifiable as a break up excuse," Rory explained.

"Hello, he had a girl in his room!" Lane reiterated.

"But she was dressed. And it looked like they didn't do any hanky-panky," Rory defended.

"Boy, you are blind," Lane grumbled.

"Well when you see Zach with groupies, don't you get jealous?" Rory asked smugly.

"Yes, but it's part of our business. And Zach has been really conscious to keep the one arm's length thing with the fans," Lane commented.

"So you think I should press him for more information in regards to Sydney," Rory stated the obvious.

"I think it behoove of you to do so," Lane verified.

Rory mulled over the decision. She definitely didn't want to rock the boat more than it already had been.

After Lane left for Stars Hollow, Rory had pretty much settled on a trance. She definitely felt like Scrooge on a mission to be miserable all week. Even Doyle's pessimism and Paris' rants seem to have no ill effect on Rory. She was already there.

That evening, she decided to do the last of her studying in the library. She knew she should've been ready weeks ago but she was not inspired to do any of her schoolwork. By nine o'clock, she decided to call it a night. Her slow walk back to her room made her think of her current relationship. The one thing she hated about being a hermit is that she really had no one to talk about matters of the heart. For once, she wished Madeline and Louise were around for a heart-to-heart.

She stepped into the cold dormitory building. She took her time going up the stairs to her dorm room. Humming a tune stuck in her head, she absently slipped her key into the lock only to be welcomed by a wonderful aroma of food and a sight of a at least twenty lit candles. Logan got up from the couch constantly shifting his weight from one foot to another.

"Rory, I am sorry," Logan said in the most reverent manner he can conjure. "I was insensitive, a jerk…" he listed nervously.

Rory dropped her bag and books on the floor and closed the door behind her. She ran into his arms and kissed him passionately. As far as apologies are concerned, Rory forgave him as she fell asleep in his arms that night. Asking him about Sydney can wait another night.

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Tristin was apprehensive when he headed down to Yale that Thursday. He took his final about an hour ago and he's not due back at the campus until after Christmas break. He was glad that he had an excuse to get into the Yale campus other than checking up on Rory. Paris had gotten a hold of him after she harassed Rory as to where he hid himself. He gave points to Paris for her persistence. He looked at the flowers he got for her and the little snow globe he got for Rory. He didn't know why he got the knickknack for her. It was inexpensive and common but he bought it on a whim just right after he dropped her off at the station.

Almost two hours later, he parked his maroon Cadillac Escalade by The Herald building as per Paris' instructions. He sucked in the cold air, looking at the thinning Yale population. People were darting in and out of the buildings. Many like him have started packing up and headed home. He zipped up his coat and grabbed the goodies he brought along from the passenger seat of his SUV. He hoped his visit was for worth the diversion.

"Finally!" Paris retorted when Tristin appeared on the journalists' floor.

"And hello to you, too!" Tristin greeted, extending his arms to hug Paris.

"You were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago," she scolded.

"Hmm, a woman waiting on me. A very endearing trait!" Tristin teased. He handed her the snow-white rose bouquet on one hand. She received it with delight.

"You know, my boyfriend might misconstrue this little token of friendship," Paris pointed out as she took a whiff of the fragrant flowers.

On cue, Doyle walked in and took a possessive stance next to her. "Hey, Paris, what's going on here?"

"Hi, I'm Tristin," he offered his hand to Doyle.

"Is this a joke? Who's this guy?" Doyle asked Paris in paranoia, avoiding the friendly greeting.

"Tristin used to go to my school. Tristin, my boyfriend, Doyle," Paris snuggled up next to her man.

"Congratulations! Does Rabbi Schreck know about him?" Tristin teased her, putting his hand down.

"How does he know Rabbi Schreck? Is he an ex-boyfriend?" Doyle grilled Paris, sweat breaking on his forehead.

"Relax," Paris calmed Doyle by laying a hand on his belly. "Tristin here is a master tease," she responded with a droll. "He knows what strings to pull just get the desired effect. Am I right, DuGrey?"

"Always, Geller," Tristin said.

"Apparently, you haven't lost your touch," Paris said.

"He reminds me of someone. I just can't remember who…" Doyle pondered.

"Well, let me not take up any more of your time. Where can I find Rory?" Tristin politely asked Paris.

"Wow, it took at least five minutes before you could mention her name. That's a record," Paris sarcastically responded.

"Paris, you know you're always first on my list," he sweetened her up.

"Uh-huh," she haughtily responded. "She's over there," Paris nodded her head toward her general direction. He saw her deep in thought typing away on her computer.

"Thanks, babe," he said, laying a quick kiss on Paris' cheek to get Doyle more riled up. He jumped the short banister to get to Rory.

Doyle shot Tristin a dirty look as he rushed to Rory's desk.

Tristin slowed down a few desks before closing in on Rory. Her intense concentration didn't pick up on the fact that he stood right next to her. Like a naughty child, he went behind her and covered her eyes.

"Three guesses," he playfully suggested.

Rory let out a surprised gasp at his sudden reaction and his unexpected voice. She played along in his game. "Deepak Chopra."

"Younger," he clued her in.

"Haley Joel Osmet," she said, smiling.

"Older," he said.

"Dave Navarro," she replied.

"God, you suck at this game," Tristin chuckled, putting his hand down.

"Well maybe I would've guessed better if you actually told me you were going to be around the area," Rory prompted.

"Then it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?" he cockily responded, squatting between her legs.

"That it wouldn't be," she agreed.

"Oh, before I forget," he said, reaching out at the side of the table and handed her the snow globe of New York City.

"You didn't!" Rory yelped shaking the paperweight.

"I thought of you when I saw it," he murmured. Unbeknownst to the couple, Logan was watching them from the glass door, a clenched fist on his side.

"Well I love it. Thank you," she giggled, hugging him tightly around the neck.

"So when are you busting out of this joint?' he asked, his eyes intently staring into hers.

"Why?" she asked.

"So I can take you up on the coffee date thing," he reminded her.

"She's not going anywhere with you, buddy," Logan interrupted the couple.

"Huntzberger," Tristin responded coldly as he stood up from his position.

"DuGrey," Logan matched his tone. "Isn't it amazing that you seem to rear your ugly head at the most inconvenient circumstances."

"Funny, I thought it was the other way around," Tristin taunted.

Rory felt the chill between them. Oddly, she didn't know what started it.

"Why don't you poach someone else's girl, huh?" Logan said, putting his arm around Rory.

"Maybe you should take up on that suggestion yourself," Tristin mocked Logan.

"Alright, guys. Too much testosterone," Rory tried to diffuse the situation.

"What are you even doing here, huh? You don't even go to this school," Logan sneered.

"I'm an invited guest, which gives me more of an excuse to be in this building. What's yours?" Tristin said.

"I work here," Logan said through gritted teeth.

"Oh, you're actually literate? " Tristin ridiculed him.

Logan was about to launch a punch at Tristin when Rory got between them.

"Guys! Let it go!" she ordered. She pushed Tristin away, pinning him at one of the tables.

"Tristin, go," Rory begged him, her breathing ragged.

"Not until that loser promises to break up with you," he swore.

"What are you talking about, Tristin? He's my boyfriend. I'll deal with him," Rory informed him. "Please, just go."

"Yeah, listen to the girl, Tristin. Let her fight your battles," he egged Tristin.

Tristin launched his body towards Logan only to have Rory lean her weight against him. "NO!"

Tristin shot a bewildered look at Rory. Her bright blue eyes gave away the intensity of her anger. He pushed her away and shrugged his coat in place.

"I'm out of here," Tristin responded, shaking his head at the couple.

Rory glanced at Logan, looking smugly at Tristin. "Tristin, wait!"

"For what?" Tristin asked. "To see you all weepy when that bastard breaks your heart?"

"That's low," Rory spat at him.

Tristin's angry eyes softened as he saw her doe eyes tear up. He wanted to touch her face and tell her the truth but it's not up to him to make that decision. "I'm sorry."

He ran out of the building, not looking back.

"You know, Tristin reminds me of Logan," Doyle said, his hand cradling his chin.

"I think neither of them would want to hear that analogy," Paris hushed him.


	14. It Takes Three to Tango

CHAPTER 14

He should've known. He felt himself tense up and feel his fingers curl into a ball. How come he knew the moment he met Tristin that he'd be trouble?

He saw Rory's reaction when he put his hands over her eyes. She was comfortable, dare he say intimate. He couldn't hear the words they exchanged from behind the glass door but she laughed. They might as well have not cared that they had an audience. He watched him squat in front of her: the smile, the excitement, the hug. The range of emotions unfolding in front of him made him want to puke.

It wasn't because he thought Rory cheated on him. It was because he knew deep inside that he's cheating her out on an opportunity to actually have a decent relationship. But damn Tristin if he'd force him to an ultimatum!

That's when jealousy reared its ugly head. Like two gladiators, they sparred verbally, throwing out barbs aimed at each other to hurt. Every syllable was filled with malice. When their taunts were not enough and fists came unsheathed, Rory came between them so they won't come into blows.

"Tristin, go!" he remembered her plea to him.

Tristin's eyes were intense. Logan knew Tristin wanted nothing more than to protect Rory from him. Tristin tried lunging towards him only to have her get into his way. All he could feel at this point was blood rushing to his head.

Rory defended him to Tristin and all Logan could see was rage emanating from Tristin's being. Then, she does it. He doesn't know how but she seems to have this magic over men just wanting to protect her. If there was any moment that he felt like a jackass, this was it. He knew Tristin wanted to tell Rory about the secret she already is partly privy to although she doesn't know it yet.

Rory asked Tristin to wait when he stomped away. He turned around and said, " For what? To see you all weepy when that bastard breaks your heart?"

How was Logan supposed to respond to that?

Tristin left the room in a hurry.

"Are you happy now?" Rory queried Logan, her tone filled with ire. Before he knew it, Rory went after him.

Logan hung his head and sighed. If only Tristin and Rory knew the rest of the story.

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Tristin slammed his fists on the steering wheel. He just had to do it, didn't he? He could feel the guilt and the anger merge into one and yet he felt elated. Why did she have to follow him out? His cheeks were still flushed from the cold. His foot was heavy on the accelerator. This was not the way he envisioned things happening between him and Rory.

"Tristin!" she yelled out from behind him.

"What?" he chewed her head off.

She ran halfway towards him when she stopped. Her hair was being tousled by the light breeze. All she wore to meet up with him was a thin green turtleneck sweater and a pair of slacks. She crossed her arms across her chest, rubbing her arms vigorously.

"Rory, go back inside. You're going to catch a cold," he scolded her as he opened the door to the Escalade.

"I don't care," she sobbed. "Not until you answer me."

Tristin dropped his hand from the door and shoved his hands in his pocket. "I think you know the answer to your question."

Rory slowly approached him. He could see the trail of mist coming from her mouth and her nose. She was cold and she did not care.

"Why Tristin? Why are you here?" she asked. "It's not like you cared before."

"I always did," he said matter-of-factly. "I just never really knew how to show it."

"Stop it," Rory warned her.

"Why?" Tristin savagely challenged. "Are you that conceited that you want me to spell it out for you?"

"Why do you feel it's your duty to torment me?" Rory asked, choking on a sob.

"Because I can," he sarcastically responded. "Happy?"

A tear rolled down Rory's frozen cheek.

"I don't know what you're waiting for but I know what I want," he said pacing back and forth. "I wanted something that isn't mine and I intend on making it mine only when the time allows itself."

"You're a fool," Rory spat.

"And you're a coward," Tristin mocked her.

"And you're not?" Rory scoffed. "You waltz into my life like the Tazmanian Devil, picking me up, dragging me around and taking me to heights I never expected and you would like me to believe that you did this all because you have feelings for me? If that's the case, you're a bigger dunce than I thought."

"Only if you can prove me wrong," he said. "And I intend not to stick around to just have my feelings thrown back to my face."

"Two weeks, Tristin. Two weeks! You're professing something that is based on fleeting, highlighted feelings," she stammered.

"Am I?" he taunted her. "How long did it take you to figure out you were in love with Wannabe?"

"That's a bunch of croc and you know it," Rory said, sniffling. "If you had any feelings for me, it is probably located below your waist like the rest of your hash marks on your bedpost."

"Hasn't anyone told you that you're naive, Rory? Not every relationship is set on the sack," Tristin responded angrily. "Logan is playing you for a fool and you're blinded to it."

"Are you trying to sabotage my relationship? You have no right making claims to something you don't know anything about," Rory bit back.

"Am I?" Tristin asked softly. "I never made any claims that I am different from the guy you once knew, Rory. I admit, I may not know Logan personally but I was he. Maybe, I still am only I've learned not to be that person again."

He was so close to her, he could smell the scent of her perfume. Like her, it was sweet and innocent.

"Rory, ask yourself the question. Why are you here?" he queried. "Why aren't you with Logan at this very instant?"

Rory did not really know why she followed him out. All she knew was it was important for her to do so. "Because... I didn't want you going away angry."

Tristin exhaled loudly. "What could you have done that I would misconstrue as making me angry?" he raised an eyebrow.

Rory bowed her head. "Breaking up your fight with Logan?"

"Oh, Rory," he sighed. He took her in his arms and started rubbing her. She was cold to the touch even through his gloves. "The fight would've just been the topping on the cake!"

Rory did not protest his touch. She accepted the warm envelope he provided her at that instant. "I really didn't want you and Logan to argue. Things had been good between Logan and me. He's pretty much the best thing that has happened to me since Dean and I broke up."

Tristin snorted.

"Did I tell you that he took me under his wing when Dean dumped me in front of him and his cronies?" she recalled. "I just went on and on minutes before my break up with Dean how much he loves me and that we're happy together only to have them witness Dean just drive away without me."

"I'd bring him back and beat him up for you if I was there," he grumbled through her hair.

"... And when you showed up last Thanksgiving, I didn't think that we'd actually be friends. You know? We never were when we were at Chilton."

"No, we weren't, were we?" he agreed.

"And I thought it was important that you and Logan get along because..." she paused. "You are a part of my past that I think I would really miss if I let this present ruin the future, barring circumstances, of course."

"Rory," he whispered. "I think you know why you came here."

"Do I?" she looked into his eyes.

Before Tristin could have his better judgment rule over him, he cupped her chin as he descended on her lips. He wanted to do it since he first saw her at the Gilmore's. And damn him if he's going to back out now.

The kiss was slow and deliberate. Despite the blood ringing in his ears, he nibbled on her lips like there was no tomorrow for them. His tongue searched and probed without dissention. He savored the taste of mint that coated her cotton candy mouth. Lips smacked. Tongues dueled. She accepted his kisses willingly if not for that moment of mental haze. His hands had a mind of their own, traversing the length of her back and pulling her close to his embrace. The moment she was engulfed in his arms, his gloved hand cupped her cheek. Lips to lips, nose to nose, the light snow drizzled on them.

When Tristin broke off the kiss, she whimpered. He pressed his forehead against hers.

"Go," he ordered her. "Promise me you will talk to Hunzberger."

Rory just nodded.

He let go of her abruptly and jumped into his vehicle. Rory didn't look back when she ran back into the building.

The forty-minute drive home was all Tristin could take. The only thing he was grateful for was his arrival at the empty DuGrey residence was without pomp and circumstance. All he came home to were the quiet ticking of the grandfather clock and the blinking of Christmas lights.

.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Rory was in a trance when she walked into the Herald Building. She was cold and numb and the only sensation keeping her warm was the languorous kiss she shared with Tristin. She touched her lips subconsciously like she was trying to prove to herself that she didn't dream the whole event.

How could she have not known that Tristin felt that way towards her? Does it change the way she saw Logan?

Rory closed her eyes and leaned against the wall before entering the journalism floor. Tristin knew something, that much she knew. But why won't he tell her? Confronting Logan doesn't seem like the most tactical maneuver either. She told herself that there's time to mull this over later. 'Maybe the Christmas break would work some wonders and make all their problems disappear,' she deluded herself.

She saw Logan sitting at his table cradling his head between his hands. He looked frustrated and furious. She knew she would be, too, if she were in his shoes. She felt bad that she seems to be the reason why things snowballed among the three of them.

She sighed, squared her shoulders and walked towards Logan in hopes of make things better.

"So," she asked Logan. "When and where is this party this Saturday?"


	15. Identifying Scuzz Balls

CHAPTER 15

"Wow, are you on Christmas break or are you moving back in?" Lorelai asked the Friday afternoon Rory came home.

"Are you saying you've finally adjusted to the empty nest syndrome?" Rory teased.

"Baby, it's a blast! I was hoping you'd actually take your other stuff with you so I could put a dance floor in your room," Lorelai said.

"Mom, I think we need to start you on some meds before you deteriorate," Rory said jokingly.

"So, anything for mommy?" Lorelai spied Rory's hamper.

"No, just a few essentials: reading stuff for next semester, Christmas presents, laundry…" Rory got cut off.

"Bah, laundry. Couldn't you have left that at Yale? You know, we could buy you more stuff and we can throw your clothes in the dumpster!" Lorelai conspired.

"Mom, going back to stinky laundry is not my idea of fun," Rory pointed out. "Besides, some of my favorite clothes are in the pile. Hey, wait, is the washer broken again?"

"No," Lorelai grumbled. I still have a ton of whites that need to be done that's been sitting in the washer for days."

"I can do them for you," Rory said in glee.

"You are a nerd," Lorelai indicated. "Just promise me you won't do laundry at four in the morning. Again."

"I've learned from my mistakes," Rory responded solemnly.

Lorelai started helping Rory unpack her things when she pulled out a garment bag.

"Ooh, what's this? Can I see? Can I see?" Lorelai begged.

"Sure," Rory said nonchalantly. "I got it for Logan's party this weekend."

"You mean you're going to be gone again? What about dinner at the parents tonight?" Lorelai grilled.

"Oh, that," Rory lowered her eyelids. "I got out of Friday dinner. I told them I was headed to Boston."

"Ugh, I hate you!" Lorelai said dramatically. "You mean, I'm stuck with my psycho parents all by myself?"

"Mom, I'd think after six years of Friday night dinners, you could fend them off on your own," Rory reassured her mom.

"I know that we've gone solo several times but you could've at least involved me in your excuse so I can get out of it," Lorelai complained.

Rory looked straight into her mother's eyes. "I think you would agree that me saying you're coming up to Boston with me to see dad will send them the wrong message."

Lorelai's eyes bugged out. "You're serious. You're going to Boston."

"I leave tonight," Rory sighed. "Besides, dad wants to spend some Christmas time with me and Gigi together now that she's cognizant of what happens around her."

"Chris is okay with all this?" Lorelai asked. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's a last minute decision," Rory admitted. "I got invited to this party in Boston…"

"Logan's," Lorelai clarified.

"Yes," Rory put down the hamper near the laundry room doors. "I wasn't going to go but something happened."

"Am I supposed to find out what the result is in nine months?" Lorelai became serious.

"No, no, it's nothing like that," Rory corrected her mother. "its just Logan and I are having a little trouble and I'm hoping showing up tomorrow would set things straight."

"What kind of trouble?" Lorelai asked.

"I don't know," Rory whined. "I wish I knew. I thought I knew what I wanted."

"And now?" Lorelai segued.

"Now I feel like I don't know a thing," Rory said. "Ever since Thanksgiving, Logan and I aren't in synch."

"Well, your grandparents have the affinity of doing that to people," Lorelai said, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah, but why now? It's like I'm missing part of a puzzle and everyone sees it but me," Rory admitted.

"Everyone? Huh, I thought I was the only one iffy on your relationship. I mean, there are my parents but they are a breed of their own," Lorelai snorted.

"Tristin kept on pushing me to talk to Logan…" Rory ranted as she walked into the kitchen.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Tristin. As in the guy you went to visit in New York," Lorelai stopped her daughter in her tracks.

"Yes, mom. Keep track, will you please?" Rory said impatiently.

"How is he involved this time?" Lorelai asked.

"He came to Yale yesterday," Rory muttered.

"Louder, please," Lorelai said. "Why?"

"I don't know," Rory said. "He showed up… and he and Logan got into a fight."

"They did?" Lorelai was engrossed in Rory's tale.

"And then Tristin kissed me," Rory blushed. "I am so confused!"

"Aha!" Lorelai exclaimed.

Rory pulled out the dining room chair and plopped her bottom on it. "He kept on promising me to talk to Logan but he won't tell me why."

"You know, sometimes, the person of the opposite gender can tell whether or not someone of their own gender is a scuzz ball," Lorelai hypothesized.

"Yeah, but should I take Logan as the scuzz ball or should I trust Tristin who I know can be a scuzz ball?" Rory asked.

Lorelai handed her daughter a mug of coffee. "It's all in the feel, babe. I don't know how else to explain it."

Rory paused in thought. "How did you know when you and dad were over?"

Lorelai's eyes flashed a moment of weakness when her daughter asked about Christopher. "Hmm. That's a tough one."

Rory waited with bated breath.

"I see you're waiting for an answer," Lorelai chuckled nervously. "Ah, Christopher is someone I will be pining for forever not because he is my soul mate or anything but because I know he understands me in a way no one can."

"Even if you're in love with Luke?" Rory prodded.

"Even Luke won't be able to replace that," Lorelai admitted.

"Then why aren't you with dad? He and Sherry are divorced," Rory pointed out.

"For the same reasons I did not accept any of his proposals," Lorelai reminisced sadly. "We're better off as buddies than partners for life."

"So what does Luke mean to you?" Rory asked, now confused.

"Luke," Lorelai paused, "is part of my present and I hope he becomes part of my future. But Luke's role in my life is not for him to be a father to you. He is supposed to be one that should complete me."

"Am I to conclude then that dad's your ultimate love but you're willing to forgo that for Luke," Rory said.

"Oh, kid. I am the wrong person to ask about relationships. You know my track record," Lorelai said.

"Yeah but I'm trying to make rhyme out of reason," Rory said, taking a gulp of her brew.

"All I'm saying is, if someone else is questioning your relationship with Logan and it's someone with fresh eyes, I would take up to the suggestion- not because they may have ulterior motives but because you owe it to yourself to look at things with a different perspective," Lorelai advised her.

"Hmm," is all Rory could summon from her Merriam-Webster vocabulary.

"Enough of this sappy stuff," Lorelai declared, slamming her mug on the table. "Wanna order out from Joe's or go to Luke's?"

"Luke's. Definitely, Luke's," Rory voted.

.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Tristin was in and out of the DuGrey establishment since his arrival last Thursday. For once, he decided to get up and join his parents for brunch that Saturday morning.

"Hey sleepyhead," Elsie greeted him. His mother was wearing a silk bathrobe over her Chinese silk pajamas.

"Morning," he greeted, laying a kiss on his mother's cheek.

"How come you didn't tell us you were arriving last Thursday?" his dad inquired, looking over the edge of his newspaper. "You were out yesterday before I was able to talk to you."

"I gave mom my schedule last week," he reminded him.

"Oh, yes. It's my fault, Chandler. I was too busy preparing for our other engagements," Elsie apologized.

"Hmm, and this is what you want me to do when I take over the business? It doesn't sound fun," Tristin grumbled, taking a sip from the coffee cup set in front of him.

"Don't be so cynical," Chandler chastised his son. "After all, these social events are good markets to fish for information. Like who's in need of a new loan, a financial adviser…"

"It's Christmas, dad. Even loan sharks and millionaires have a cease fire during the holiday season."

"The stock market never sleeps, son," Chandler reminded him.

"So, what's in your agenda today, Tristin?" Elsie asked. "Heaven knows your car was gone when we arrived from the Geller's last night. And by the way, Paris said you went to go visit her!"

"Yeah, I dropped by her way Thursday on my way home," Tristin kept it vague, biting into the Belgian waffle drizzled with whipped cream and strawberries.

"How's she taking her new step mother?" she asked.

"I don't know. We didn't talk about it," he responded. It was true. He was more concerned about Rory.

"Hmm," was all Elsie said. "Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to stay here tonight. Your dad and I have another engagement today and unfortunately, we won't be able to spend time with you until Sunday."

Tristin's heart sank. A part of him wanted to pretend that his parents' engagements around this season didn't bother him. Apparently, he was as transparent as glass.

"I guess, I can stay here," he said, playing with the left over waffle.

"Come," his mother encouraged, taking his hand and pulling him off of his seat. Tristin allowed his mother to drag him into his parents' bedroom.

"I wish you could say you'd come. You could see Boston tonight. You love Boston," Elsie said as she walked into her walk-in closet in search of clothes.

Tristin plopped himself on the unmade bed, flipping through the pages of the book his father left on the nightstand. "I don't know."

"So which dress should I wear?" she asked.

Tristin was shown two dresses: a transparent red and gold speckled Gucci dress and a blue and black chiffon Armani dress. Both he knew would look exquisite on his mother.

"What's the affair?" he asked. He knew better than to tell his mother to choose whichever dress she preferred when he knew she was using this time as a bonding moment between them. "You know, your personal shopper should be the one doing this with you."

"But you have good taste. And I know you won't let me go out looking like I didn't give a thought to what I was wearing," she buttered up her son.

Tristin chuckled. "Mom, you are sly."

"And I know when my son is down in the dumps so spill," she ordered, looking at each dress as she stood in front of the full-length mirror.

"Nothing's wrong," he lied.

"And Santa really exists," Elsie responded sarcastically. "I haven't seen you this mopey since dad sent you to the academy."

"Yeah, well…" he dragged on.

"Yeah, well, what? Is it school? Are you having problems?" she asked.

"No," he said.

"Girls?" she prodded.

Tristin just looked at her and bowed his head and started playing with the duvet's cover slip.

"So this is what it's all about, huh?" she asked. "I thought you started seeing that Gilmore girl?"

"Mom, I stole her dad's bike and she ran away with me to make sure that the bike doesn't get ruined," he interjected.

"You don't have to be defensive about it," Elsie scolded Tristin. "Besides, she is a pleasant girl. Her mother though is one character."

"That Lorelai is," Tristin chuckled.

"You've spoken to Lorelai?" Elsie inquired, raising the same eyebrow that Tristin usually does.

"Several times. She's really smart and quirky like Rory," Tristin recalled, smiling.

"So is this moping all about Rory?" she asked again, laying both dresses on the bed.

"No, not really," he sighed. "Anyway, this shindig you and dad are going to, what is it?" he changed the topic quickly.

"I think it's an engagement party for one of your dad's clients," Elsie said, her voice muffled in her closet. "I don't remember if it's formal or semi-formal."

"Where's it being held at?" he asked.

"I don't remember. Look at the invitation on top of the bureau," she called out.

Tristin found the cream colored heavy stocked envelope. First came out a confirmation card. "XV Beacon. Stylish," he said out loud. He remembered the prestigious hotel. He and his parents enjoyed dining at The Federalist Restaurant several years ago.

Setting the confirmation aside, he yelled out, "Mom, it's semi-formal…"

At that moment, his heart stopped pounding. He thought his eyes were deceiving him. No, this can't be! The party…

"Mom, I think I'm going to be joining you in Boston after all," he said as he dropped the card on the floor and fled for his room.


	16. Playing Second Fiddle, Again

CHAPTER 16

Tristin fidgeted at the back seat of his father's Rolls Royce, unconsciously playing with the signet ring adorning his pinky ring. He gazed through the tinted windows only to be met by the darkening sky and the fast falling snowflakes.

"Nervous, son?" his father asked, tapping him on the knee.

Tristin snapped from his thoughts and looked at his father. "Uh, why do you say that?"

"Your ring twist," he pointed out.

Only his parents knew of his nervous tick. Apparently, his distracted thoughts brought out his nervous habit.

"I'm glad you can come out and join us tonight," his father continued on saying.

He let out a chuckle, "Yeah, me too."

"Sarcasm?" his mother asked. "You left the room rather in a hurry."

Tristin dropped his hands on his lap. "Well…"

"Well, what?" his dad inquired.

"Let's say I am acquainted with the groom-to-be," he hinted. "I just wanted to wish him luck."

"Am I to assume that this has something to do about a certain girl?" his mom pressed.

"A girl? Tristin having girl trouble?" Chandler chuckled. "I thought I'd never see the day."

Elsie playfully kicked her husband on the shin with her silver sling back Manolos.

"Just promise me this time you won't run away with the girl," she cautioned Tristin. "We had enough of that last Thanksgiving."

'Not if I can help it,' Tristin said to himself.

.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Rory stood right outside the ballroom where Logan's party was being held. It was just a little past seven o'clock and she was having second thoughts on entering the room. Beautiful people stood in front of the hall like they were going to some gala. For something that was considered semi-formal, a huge number of the crowd being ushered in was dressed to the nines. She stared at her crimson-scooped sleeveless shirt with the black crepe knee length skirt she wore and she felt underdressed for the occasion. All she could hear in her head was her voice asking her whether her appearance at this party was right.

"I really would wish you wouldn't go to the party," Logan told her Thursday after the fight with Tristin.

"But Sydney was the one who invited me. Are you hiding something?" Rory asked.

"No," he lied. "I just know it won't be your cup of tea."

"You know, I may not run with your crowd but I know how to behave in social circles, you know," she informed him, albeit cross with his argument.

"It's not that," he huffed. "Why is it important for you to be at the party anyway?"

"Because I feel like you're ashamed of us as a couple," Rory accused.

"You know what? I am done with this argument," Logan said. "Show up. I don't care. I'll have Sydney call you tonight."

Just like that, he walked away. Since then, neither of them had spoken to each other.

That night, Rory went home with a broken heart. She was already confused with her attraction to Tristin. Her dissatisfaction with Logan did not make matters of the heart any better.

"Rory, it's Sydney. You're showing up, right?" Sydney asked her over the phone as Rory packed the last of the items she was taking home after her final that Friday.

"I don't know…" she honestly told Sydney.

"Don't worry about Logan. He's just worried about his dad. He can be a bastard," Sydney said offhandedly. "I, however, would love you to be there."

"Why?" Rory asked suspiciously. "You don't even know me."

"Logan had talked so much about you that I feel like you and I are connected. And I know I would love to see a friendly face in the crowd," she admitted.

A party being thrown and not have a friend there? Rory thought that the situation was rather odd.

"Sydney," Rory wailed.

"Come on. I promise it will be fun. Please?" she pleaded.

"Fine," Rory caved in asking for all the details.

Rory felt bad that at the moment. She was on better terms with a girl she barely knew than her boyfriend who was acting ridiculously strange.

"Your invitation, please?" the point man at the door asked, breaking into her reverie.

"My invitation?" Rory asked. She flushed immediately. She wasn't given an invite.

On cue, Sydney called out to her. "Rory! I'm glad you're here!" she yelled. "She's with me," she told the point man as she linked her arm around Rory's.

"I am so glad you're here," Sydney chatted away as she dragged Rory away from the door and the lines. "I think I can't handle this anymore!"

"Sydney… Hi," Rory managed to say. "Are you tipsy?"

"Trying to get there," Sydney admitted when they got to the wet bar. "Here, you need to catch up," she handed Rory a crystal glass with alcohol in it. She didn't know what the concoction was but she silently toasted Sydney when she raised her glass to her. Both of them drowned the amber liquid in one gulp.

"Good, isn't it?" Sydney giggled. "I think I've drank half the bottle already."

"What is it?" Rory asked, wiping her lips with the back of her hand.

"Amaretto. Come on, let's cruise," she took Rory's hand into hers and dragged her away from the bar. Rory let the blonde lead her around the room leaving her no time to admire the ice sculpture or the Christmas lilies or the fact that Tristin was watching her like a hawk from the corner of the room.

As they left their spot, Rory caught a glimpse of two of Logan's henchmen, Finn and Collin.

"Hi, Finn! Bye, Finn!" Rory greeted as they passed by.

"Rory?" Collin sounded surprised when she passed them by.

Finn looked at Collin. "So, I am not drunk and I did see Rory."

"Yes, you did," Collin confirmed.

"And Rory was being led by the hand by Sydney," Finn asked again.

"That is correct," Collin agreed.

"Do you think Logan knows about her being with Syd?" Finn questioned once more.

"I hope so because if he doesn't, there will be some major PR work that needs to be done before the morning paper goes out," Collin hinted. "Let's go find Logan."

.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Logan isolated himself from the party that had been in full swing for about an hour. He stared out into the darkness, with nothing but the city's twinkling lights to brighten the dour, chilly sky. He welcomed the silence that engulfed him momentarily for he knew that tonight was going to change everything.

He tugged on the cuffs of his heavy starched white shirt. Then he pulled down the black coat that framed his sinewy frame. Now if only his life would be like his outfit: perfect, immaculate and simple.

He can picture it now: Rory on to one side, Sydney next to him. All he wanted to do was to tell Rory the truth he'd been hiding from her for over a year.

"Logan, we've been looking all over for you, man!" Finn scolded as he took a gulp from his scotch bottle.

Logan turned around to face his friends.

"Yeah, Rory's here. Did you know she was coming?" Collin asked with reverence.

"Yeah, he knew she was coming," Tristin responded from behind the two gentlemen. He seemed to have just materialized behind them.

Collin and Finn looked at each other before they stared at the stranger that responded for Logan. Their baffled look gave away the truth that even Logan's most trusted confidantes didn't know what was going on.

"Tristin, it's a surprise to see you here!" Logan said smugly. Finn and Collin left the room as Logan's commanding voice seem to fill in the spacious room. "I don't remember seeing your name on the guest list."

"I thought I'd be an exception since my father happens to be a powerful ally to your father's fortunes," Tristin smugly responded. "I guess congratulations are in order?"

"Why don't you just come out and say it, DuGrey?" Logan hissed.

"Because I want to watch a snake slither out of this," Tristin replied, taunting Logan.

Right outside the room, Mitchum Huntzberger took his place on a make shift set of bleacher steps that was set close to the jazz band that was playing in one corner. Almost smack dab in the middle of the room were Rory and Sydney, still holding hands, talking to some twenty-something Wall Street moguls that were trying to impress them with their stock and bond knowledge and when they expect to be part of the Fortune 500 list. The ladies have at least downed three amaretto sours within the hour of Rory's arrival.

"Wow, how impressive," Sydney said. "And how often again do you get laid for being so conceited?' she added dryly trying to keep a straight face.

Rory on the other hand was trying to stifle an alcohol-induced giggle. The gentlemen they were speaking to were aghast at her off-comment.

"Everyone, if I could just get your attention," Mr. Huntzberger tried to get the room to quiet down. The mogul had to be commended. He had everyone's attention in a heartbeat.

"As you all know, this is a very significant night…"

"Why didn't you tell her?" Tristin grilled Logan again. They could hear Logan's father in the background.

"Because I can't," Logan admitted.

"So now you expect your dad to do it for you?" Tristin harassed him.

"It was not supposed to be this way," Logan explained. "I didn't want her to come."

"… When my son turned twenty-one, a milestone had been reached…" the speech went on.

"Oh boy, here comes the speech," Sydney stage whispered in Rory's ear, both of them still holding their giggles in.

"But she did. What do you expect to do now?" Tristin pushed.

"Tell her the truth," Logan responded through gritted teeth. He didn't need this extra pressure.

" When? After she finds out that you're betrothed to someone else?" Tristin asked.

"It's not my choice!" Logan replied, giving Tristin a shove.

"Then whose is it, huh?" Tristin shoved back. "She loves you, man. How could you betray her?"

"I did not betray her," Logan grunted. "Our grandparents did."

"… so it is my honor to present my son…" Mitchum continued on the microphone.

Tristin was confused. "Your grandparents?"

"The night you saw me at the Gilmore's, I was going to break up with Rory then," he said. "But Emily kicked me out before I could do it. After that, I was hoping that I could break off this engagement before it actually took place. That's why I wanted Rory to be with you."

"But Tiffany's…" Tristin's voice trailed off.

"I cannot hurt Sydney," Logan admitted. "She means a lot to me and she cannot be part of my parents and her parents schemes."

"But it was okay to hurt Rory," Tristin pointed out, anger emanating from every pore of his body.

"We can't be together," Logan raised his voice to Tristin.

"… Logan, come out here, son," Mitchum invited his son, his head turned towards the room Logan and Tristin occupied.

"What do you mean?" Tristin asked as Logan stepped away from him and into the larger room.

"Ask her about Pennilyn Lott. She will understand," Logan muttered, almost solemnly before he took his spot right next to his father.

"It's show time," Sydney sighed, squeezing Rory's hand. Sydney closed her eyes and let out a loud sigh. Like a veteran actress, she opened her perfect eyelash curled eyes and put on a staged smile.

Tristin had started making a beeline towards Rory who was still unaware of his presence.

"I'd also like to take this opportunity to introduce the newest addition to the Huntzberger family, Sydney DuPont. She accepted Logan's proposal and we're hoping for a wedding to be announced in the next couple of months!" Mitchum said gleefully, raising his champagne glass in one hand and hugging Logan with the other.

Sydney left a stunned Rory. The room erupted in cheers with the exception of the three people who knew the truth… Finally. A solitary tear rolled down Rory's cheek. She was numb and cold. How could he?

Logan's eyes lasered on to Rory as he saw his unsuspecting fiancée leave her side. It was an evil joke that everyone would prefer to forget. He looked at her big, dark blue eyes. He knew he should've been more persistent not to have her come.

"Rory, let's go," Tristin urged her, his hand already on her elbow.

"Tristin!" she responded, shocked to hear his voice. "You're here."

"Come on," he urged her on.

The band struck up the first chord to "The Way You Look Tonight" when Tristin led Rory out of the mob scene. He could see that she was still stunned. He hoped he could just help her forget.

Tristin went through the motion of retrieving their coats and have the valet pull up Rory's car when Logan caught up with them.

"Rory, wait!" he yelled out.

Rory turned around, her grip tightening around Tristin's fingers. "What do you want? Haven't you made enough of a fool of me for one day?"

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

"Save it, Logan," she said, fresh tears streaming down her face. "And I thought I knew you. I loved you. I made everyone believe you were the one for me… And it's all a farce."

"Please don't say that," he pleaded reverently. "I did and I still do love you."

"Then why do it?" Rory asked. Her upset tone gathered enough attention for an audience to build.

Logan said nothing. From the closed doors, Sydney emerged. "Hey, Rory. I was looking…" her voice trailed off.

She realized at that moment what words could not have strung together. Logan was not worried about his father. He was worried about her, the girl that is part of his past and Rory, the one that will get away. All his stories about Rory were not for their entertainment. It was his way of seeking her acceptance when it came to Rory.

Rory looked into Sydney's perplexed and saddened expression. "Sydney, thank you for everything. Congratulations," Rory extended her salutations despite her grieving heart. "I wish I could've known you. I also hope that-that Logan will make you proud."

Sydney tried to hold back her tears.

"Tristin, drive me home," she pleaded, handing her the valet ticket.

He took the stub and escorted her away from the party's noise. He supported most of her weight as she leaned against him and let out long, sorrowful cry.


	17. Walking In His Shoes

CHAPTER 17

Rory was distracted when Tristin took over the wheel. Her mind was on Logan and Sydney and things that could have been. Rory was blinded to the fact that Tristin was with her: being her lean-to guy, her chauffer. She couldn't even see why he was at the party at all. Tristin obliged her when she asked to be taken home. Unfortunately, the quickened pace of snow falling left all the roads slick and treacherous to drive on safely.

"I think we have to check into a hotel," Tristin told Rory.

"Tristin, I may have been dumped but I am not desperate," Rory guffawed.

"Honey, there are rules that are made to be broken and bedding a dumped girl isn't one of them," Tristin commented dryly. "I merely suggested a hotel because we are not going to get out of Boston at the rate we're going."

"Oh," Rory whimpered, embarrassed by her assumption. "Were you planning on driving back to Hartford?"

"Any other suggestions?" Tristin asked.

From there, Rory snapped out of her conceited state and gave Tristin directions to her dad's place. After a few twists, turns and stoplights, they came upon a brownstone lit in subdued Christmas lights.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"Home for the evening," she said unceremoniously getting out of the car.

.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Christopher was surprised to see not one, but two heads standing by his door. The cold wind swirled and watching the couple shiver in front of him chilled him to the bones.

"Get in here!" Christopher ushered Rory and Tristin in.

The two walked through the door quickly, trying not to get any draft in the house.

"I'm glad you guys got home now, not that I wanted your party to end quickly but they were calling for bad weather tonight," Christopher rattled off. "Tristin, nice to see you again."

"Same here, Christopher," Tristin returned the warm greeting.

Rory took off her coat and draped it haphazardly on the side chair. A quiet Tristin mimicked her very actions, only to carefully lay his heavy Ralph Lauren coat on the armrest.

"Care for any drink? Coffee? Tea? A hot toddy?" Chris offered.

Rory, not in the mood for twenty questions said, "Dad, can I take a shower first? I'm beat."

"Yeah, sure," he said, concerned over Rory's dour mood. "Everything alright?"

"Just a headache," she muttered, walking away.

When Rory exited the room, Christopher nudged Tristin to the kitchenette where a fresh pot of coffee awaited them.

"So, Rory didn't tell me you were going to be around," Christopher started the conversation. "Coffee?"

"Sure," he said, not really thinking about it. "No, I just… ran into her at the party."

"How did it go?" Christopher asked. He handed him a cup of coffee before taking out the creamer and the sugar.

Tristin flashed him a sad smile. "Been to better." He took the brew graciously and reached out for a spoon set in front of him.

"Did something happen?" Christopher inquired.

Tristin paused momentarily. "She— probably would like to forget this whole thing happened tonight."

"That bad, huh. I hate those kind of parties," Christopher admitted.

"Yeah, but I doubt that you got dumped in public by your significant other," Tristin muttered.

Christopher almost choked on his drink. "You said what? That Logan kid dumped my daughter in public?"

Tristin tried to calm the upset father. "There's more to it, Christopher… I think you need to have this conversation with Rory yourself."

"Is she alright?" Christopher asked. "How could that kid do that to my daughter?"

Tristin just looked at Christopher quickly before dropping his gaze. "If I knew the answer to that question, I'll let you know."

Christopher was livid. He took a deep breath before he spoke again. "Well, for all it's worth, I'm glad you were there for her," Christopher thanked Tristin. Both drank from their cups in silence.

Rory walked into the kitchenette, looking at the two men sitting across from each other. "Any coffee left for me?"

Both of them looked up quickly. Tristin got on his feet and pulled up a chair for her. "Hey, is the headache better?" he asked.

"Getting there," she muttered, taking a seat. She was wearing a thick bathrobe over her lavender flannel pajamas.

"So, Gigi's out for the night," Rory said.

"She got tuckered out watching Christmas movies on TV," Christopher chuckled. "She's a blast."

"Yeah," Rory said. "I just hope I don't wake her up tonight," Rory said.

"Nah, she's a heavy sleeper," Christopher replied. "Oh, by the way, you're invited to use the couch. I promise it's comfortable," Christopher told Tristin.

"I'd appreciate that. Let me just call my parents," Tristin accepted the invite, stepping away from the table to make the call.

"So, I heard you had a rough night tonight," Christopher brought the subject up to Rory.

"Did he tell you?" Rory inquired, a little ticked off. "He had no right…"

"He didn't say anything, Rory. He just told me that you didn't have fun at the party," Christopher said diplomatically.

"I got dumped, dad, and I didn't even see it coming," Rory said unceremoniously.

"Have you told your mom about it?" he asked.

"And have her tell me "I told you so?" No," she admitted.

"Wanna talk about it?" Christopher nudged her to spill the beans.

"Maybe later? I really don't feel up to it right now," she told her dad.

"My parents say it's alright as long as I can catch a ride with Rory back to Hartford whenever they clear the roads," Tristin said when he came back to the room. "Apparently, they're driving like turtles just to get out of town."

"Well that settles it, you are staying. Let me get you some sheets and some sleep clothes," Christopher told Tristin. He left the couple to themselves.

Before Tristin could react, Rory had her arms around his waist, her head rested on his side. "Thanks again."

"Yeah, no problem," Tristin replied, rubbing her still-damp hair.

"Here's the stuff. You know where the kitchen is. The bathroom is down the hall on the left. Towels are in the closet," Christopher instructed, dropping the bed sheets and the change of clothes. "Remote's on the table. If you find a renegade Cheerio, I apologize ahead of time."

"Thanks again, Christopher," Tristin acknowledged.

"I leave you kids alone then. Good night," Christopher greeted them before leaving the room.

"Good night, dad," Rory said.

"Good night," Tristin said, too.

"Let me jump in the shower. Do you want to talk afterwards?" he asked her quietly.

"We'll see if I feel up to it," she admitted.

"Okay," he accepted her answer. Dropping a quick peck on her forehead, he excused himself to clean up. Rory on the other hand, got off of her seat and busied herself. She turned on the TV to some movie for background noise while she unfolded the pull out bed for Tristin. Once it was set up, Rory sat on the corner of the makeshift bed and stared at the images flashing before her. She was impervious to Tristin's return to the room.

"What am I missing?" he asked, toweling his hair dry.

Rory looked up from the screen and stared at Tristin who was towering over her. He wore a USC Trojans sweatshirt and a pair of her dad's maroon flannel bottoms. To Rory, he was adorable.

"What?" Tristin asked her, blushing from her gaze.

"Nothing," Rory said. "I thought I'd never see you in anything less than designer clothing."

"Are you mocking me, Gilmore?" he ribbed at her.

"No," she said seriously. "I like you like this. You know, approachable."

"Well, let me state for the record that for you, this Tristin model is accessible to one Rory Gilmore at any time, any place," he announced.

"I might just take you up on that offer," Rory cajoled.

Tristin sat beside Rory on the corner of the bed, "It's not a joke," he added with a hint of seriousness.

Rory nudged him playfully with her shoulder. He bumped back in return. Seconds later, Rory laid her head on his shoulder.

"Am I horrendous?" Rory asked unexpectedly.

"What? Where did that come from?" Tristin chuckled.

"If I am not horrendous, why do I fall for guys that end up leaving me?" she asked. She sniffed herself, "I don't stink." She looked down the length of her body. "I'm not promiscuous. Is it because I am not rich?"

"Oh Rory," Tristin sighed, wrapping an arm round her shoulder. "Money has nothing and all to do about it."

"You probably think I am pathetic, huh?" Rory posed the question, a fresh tear rolling down her cheek. "You were there for my first break up. Now you're here again for another break up."

"Yep, call me the heart mender," he sadly stated. "I had to make up for the times I wasn't there for the second and third Dean break up."

"Well, I'd like to forget them so we could gladly skip that conversation," she hiccupped a chuckle. "I just think it's strange that you've been there for two milestone events. Should I had you my eulogy just in case my next bout of romance stupidity knocks me to my grave?"

"Nah, I think you have more left in you than you'd care to imagine," Tristin said.

Rory lifted her head and looked at Tristin. "Thanks."

"No need," he told her.

Both of them stared at the screen and watched the dialogue flow between the characters. They both knew nothing of the story that unfolded in front of them and yet both are grateful for its distraction.

"You knew, didn't you?" Rory asked after some time passed.

"Yes," he didn't bother to hide it.

"How?" she questioned him.

"Instinct," he responded, evading the truth he was privy to since the phone message weeks ago.

Rory was quiet for a while. "Would you have done the same thing he did?"

"No," Tristin said immediately. "Especially if it meant hurting you."

Rory didn't know what to say. "So what do you think is his excuse?"

Tristin pondered her question. He understood why Logan did it, not excusing his behavior but at some point, Tristin empathized with his purgatory. "Loyalty."

Rory snorted. "Loyalty? To what? Money?"

"Family," Tristin corrected her. "I tried to talk him into telling you before the engagement," he admitted.

"That would've been nice," Rory admitted.

"But he obviously loved you and didn't want to lose you," he explained.

"Why are you taking his side?" Rory asked. She was perturbed that he was defending Logan.

"Because I've been in his shoes, Rory," he confessed. "I've just been lucky that my parents understood that I don't work that way. Love is one thing I will not barter. Even my parents know that."

"Oh," she whispered.

She stared at the TV once more. She leaned her head on Tristin's shoulder and watched the movie to the end.


	18. The Messenger That Can't Speak

CHAPTER 18

Tristin opened his eyes only to focus on another set of big, blue, saucer sized eyes. He lifted his head off of his pillow. The head watching him tilted slightly to follow his movement. The pint-sized tot that observed him mesmerized him. Despite his amusement, he tired to shake Rory awake who apparently fell asleep on him while they watched last night's movie.

"Rory, wake up. We have an audience," Tristin whispered.

"Tell them to find entertainment elsewhere," she mumbled, burying her head onto his chest. She burrowed deeper into him to inhale the scent that was his alone. The clean scent of soap just magnified it.

"Uh, I don't know how to tell that to a midget," he whispered again.

Rory lifted her head to see what Tristin was talking about. For a moment, she forgot where she was. She turned around and saw a chubby blonde toddler staring at them. She was a vision of innocence: tousled hair and thumb in mouth. Rory was still in awe of her little sister.

"Good morning, Gigi," she said sleepily.

Gigi mumbled a greeting without taking her thumb out of her mouth.

"Want to jump on the bed?" Rory asked.

The toddler waddled to Rory and raised her arms for Rory to pick her up. Rory untangled her legs from Tristin's. However, their pretzel embrace was one Rory didn't want to undo. She sat up on the side of the bed and lifted her sister over her knees.

"Ooh, you're getting heavy, sis," Rory teased her sister. "Did you climb out of your cradle again?"

The tot just nodded her head.

"I guess we have to tell dad to get you a big girl's bed for Christmas, huh? I really don't like you climbing out of that crib," she told her sister.

"Da?" she asked looking at Tristin.

"That's Tristin. Can you say, "Tristin"?" she asked.

"Disin!" she repeated before returning her thumb in her mouth.

"Good girl!" she exclaimed. She swung herself around so that Gigi can see Tristin. Tristin opened his sleepy eyes to get acquainted to the little girl. "Tristin, this is my little sister, Gigi. Can you say hi?"

"Hi, munchkin," he greeted. His voice was husky from sleep. Never in her life had she felt goosebumps from hearing someone greet her kin.

"Disin Wowy da?" she asked.

"No," Rory chuckled.

"What's she asking?" he asked Rory to interpret what her sister asked.

"She's asking if you're like my dad... my husband," she blushed, explaining her sister's words.

"How'd you get that from what she just said?" Tristin chuckled.

"She knows two words for the most part. "Da" for anyone like dad or is a guy and "No" which is pretty self explanatory," Rory said.

"Ah," Tristin said to Rory's revelation.

"Befast?" Gigi asked innocently.

"All right, let's get you breakfast," Rory agreed. She got up from the bed and followed the almost four year old to the kitchen.

Tristin stayed under the covers watching Rory walk away. When they disappeared in the kitchen he listened to her have a conversation with Gigi. In his head, he could picture them together with a little one of their own. "Snap out of it, Tristin!' he said to himself. He had to remind himself that the apple of his eye doesn't even know he existed. He questioned himself within moments how the thought popped into his head. How could he think that way when she's probably still in love with Logan? He took his pillow and covered his mouth. He let out an exasperated groan before getting up to use the facilities.

Christopher emerged from his bedroom when he caught the scent of freshly brewed coffee wafting in the air.

"You didn't have to, Rory," he said. "You're a guest. I should be the one serving you!"

"Tell that to munchkin over here. She was hungry. I don't think Gigi minds having cold cereal," Rory said as she turned to the girl on the high chair. "Don't you Gi?"

"Daddy seeyal!" Gigi exclaimed, pointing to her cereal bowl.

"I see that, pumpkin," he said, knocking his forehead against the child. She leaned forward to meet him, grinning at her dad.

"Can I help you with anything?" Tristin popped his head in the kitchen after he put the bed back into its original couch form.

"Yes," Rory groaned. "I may love reading and I can follow chemistry books and manuals but I am all thumbs in the field of culinary arts."

"Ah, you are your mother's daughter," Christopher chuckled. "A pretty face that lives on take out and pop tarts alone."

"Dad, have you ever had one of mom's meals? Trust me, I'll spend the three dollars at Al's Pancake before mom attempts to make sushi again," Rory said.

"Point taken," Christopher said.

"So, what do we have here?" Tristin asked, squatting in front of the opened refrigerator. Within moments, he was able to scrounge up bacon and sausages, eggs and biscuits. Thirty minutes later, they sat down and ate the feast Tristin came up with to feed the adults.

"I can see how Tristin can be a powerful ally, Rory. He can wear the apron in the relationship," Christopher said.

"Dad!" Rory responded emphatically.

Rory's response made Gigi laugh.

"You thought that was funny, too, huh?" Tristin asked the child next to him. She shook her head in agreement. Moments later, she held out her arms for Tristin to take her down.

"I see you've charmed my other daughter, too!" Christopher commented. "Now, I would like to see if you have the same effect on Lorelai."

Rory blushed and covered her face with her hands. Tristin just chuckled.

"Oh, she's smitten," Rory dryly answered. "Anyway, have you heard anything about the road conditions?" Rory asked in hopes that the subject around Tristin would be dropped.

"Well, the news said the streets are going to be open to traffic after lunch," Christopher announced.

"That's good. At least I could spend some time with Gigi today before heading home," Rory said laying a kiss on her sister's cheek.

"Where's mine?" Tristin asked, audible enough for her to hear alone.

"Me kiss!" Gigi said grabbing her sister's hair. Tristin laughed at how quickly Gigi picked up on the cue.

"Why don't you kids take Gigi to the park down the street? I bet she would like to walk in the snow," Christopher suggested. He also offered Tristin a change of clothes, which he readily accepted.

An hour and a half later, Tristin, Rory and Gigi found themselves in the part not far from the brownstone. Gigi went to play with the other children from the neighborhood. Tristin and Rory cleared the snow off a park bench a few feet from where the children played.

"Slept well last night?" Tristin asked.

"Surprisingly well," she admitted. "You are a wonderful pillow, you know?"

"That's good," Tristin said almost inaudibly. A smile crept on to his lips.

"I had to admit, I liked waking up next to you," Rory said bashfully.

Tristin blushed at her admission. He remembered how aroused he was having her soft thighs pinned between his and how her arms snaked around his waist as he cuddled her through the night. The rise and fall of her chest against him was sweet agony on him. He could have stayed in that position all day. He was grateful that it was Gigi who caught them in the compromising position rather than Christopher.

"I was worried that you're still upset about Logan," Tristin admitted.

Rory was mum for a minute or two. She looked away before responding.

"You want to build a snowman?" Rory asked like she didn't hear his question at all.

"Sure," Tristin said, a little confused.

"It will be fun," Rory replied tugging on Tristin's hand.

It started with a small mound of snow. They packed the soft snow shavings and rolled it near the park bench. Little by little, Tristin and Rory tried to build the wintertime staple. They gathered twigs and searched for dark stones. They giggled about small stuff. Neither of them remembered what they talked about but they both remembered that they touched each other a lot: a tap on the shoulder here, a tug on the arm there. Each time they were connected, the touch lingered longer than the last.

"You are not seriously considering leaving that lopsided," Rory commented on the third snowball that would have been the head.

"It's called artistic licensing," Tristin said.

"You're so full of it!" Rory laughed, hooking her arm on his waist.

He readily grabbed her forearm and spun her around. Under the light fall of the incoming snow, he twirled her like they were dancing in a ball filled with twinkling lights instead. Like magnets, they were drawn to each other. The air seemed to be still around them. The incessant chatter of children and adults fell on deaf ears.

They dare not to resist the urge. Slowly and deliberately, Tristin bent his head to capture Rory's lips with his. Rory actively pursued Tristin's lower lip, nibbling and sucking it gently. His raspy breath clued Rory in that he was enjoying the kiss they're sharing. Rory's mitten covered hand snuck around Tristin's neck to bring his lips closer. His broad hands spanned the small of her back and tugged her hips and cradled it against his.

"Rory," he uttered between kisses. His knees weakened when her tongue brushed up against his palette.

"Shh," Rory tried to silence him.

As quickly as the moment presented itself, the magic spell around them broke when little Gigi ran literally onto their legs using them as bumper walls.

"Hug!" she shrieked.

Both Rory and Tristin were in a trance when they felt the little girl hugged their legs.

"So you want a hug, too?" Tristin teased.

He loosened his grip on Rory and bent over to pick up the little girl. She squealed when Tristin lifted her up in the air and twirled her around. When he put her down, she ran around the half completed snowman. Rory took delight at Tristin's child-like behavior chasing after her little sister. When he finally caught up with Gigi the second time around, he whirled her again. This time, Tristin fell on the ground. Gigi giggled when she landed on Tristin's chest. Once again, Tristin stared back at the huge blue eyes.

"I love you," the pint-sized girl confessed to him before her chubby hands reached for his cheeks for her to land a big kiss on his lips.

"Maybe you can teach your sister to say that to me the next time around," Tristin suggested to Gigi.

The little girl just nodded like she understood what Tristin tried to tell her.

"And tell her too not to wait to long to fall for me. That would be such a great Christmas present," he added.

The little girl just laughed as she laid her head on Tristin's chest.


	19. A Problem Called You

CHAPTER 19

Tristin knew that when he revved up the engine, the one-day magic he shared with Rory had to come to an end. In this entire time, he had to face the reality that he had fallen fast and hard the second time around with the brunette sitting next to him. She was brooding; maybe even contemplative in the silence that passed between them. He glanced at her as they reached I-90 on their way back to Connecticut.

Tristin decided to drive them back to Hartford. Rory was happy to oblige. She hated driving in snow. Having Tristin do the driving also gave her time to focus on other pressing matters like why is she all of a sudden smitten by the once King of Chilton.

Rory thought she was going insane. She tried to convince herself that her state of emotional imbalance was caused by Logan and his mind games. But why did Tristin have to be her knight in shining armor? She wanted to hurt Logan but not this way. Not with Tristin being the brunt of subliminal anger Rory brewed from within.

All she could think about was the kiss. It wasn't just the one that took place at the park that morning. The memory of his lips on hers when he met up with her in Yale made her tingle to the core. She could admit that she was obsessed with the event like a lovesick teenager. At twenty, she needed to hold her composure better than that! She pondered why in blazes she felt overwhelmed by the whole thing. If only the words didn't get in the way...

"Want to tell me what's on your mind?" Tristin asked trying to break the silence.

"Huh?" Rory asked. "Were you asking something?"

She could not tell him that she is having feelings for the man that she knew so little of and at the same time knew so much of in a short period of time. She blamed it on the 'rebound' effect of dating. However, she was scared that this time if she didn't play her cards right, she was going to end up more hurt than the last couple of relationships had gone through.

"Do you know you look so adorable when you're thinking?" Tristin flashed her a dimpled smile. "You have this frown..." he said as his hand went to his face to try and describe her facial contortions. "It's so... serious."

"Cut it out," Rory chuckled punching him on the arm. "I bet you look different, too, when you think."

"You mean you never even tried looking my way when we were in school?" Tristin asked in mocked hurt. "Low blow, Gilmore."

"Einstein, you always sat beside or behind me. Rarely do I have to look around me unless the teacher was walking in class, you know," Rory pointed out.

Tristin let out a loud laugh in the little Prius. The timber of his voice made her shudder in delight.

"So what do you say we party in this car?" Tristin asked as he turned on the radio. What came on was the National Public Radio.

"Oh, Rory, how square can you get?" Tristin moaned playfully. "The only people that listen to this station are people who are old and with insomnia. I am surprised you didn't fall asleep driving to Boston!"

"There was a commentary on the history of Christmas that I found rather fascinating," Rory tried to defend her station as her cheeks turned crimson. "Anyway, why should I defend myself to you?"

"Alright, alright. No need to get upset," Tristin chuckled. "Hey, what if we make the first Christmas song come on be like a theme to remember this day by? What do you think?"

"That is so childish!" Rory said. 'Once bitten, twice shy' rang in Rory's head. She's still paying for her song with Dean after she chose "The Candy Man" as their intimate theme.

"Besides there is no 'us'," Rory retorted.

"So wouldn't now be a nice time to start having an 'us'?" he said with a half-serious tone. "What's the worst thing that could happen? There would be one song throughout Christmas that you can or cannot stand listening to at least until Christmas day. No harm, no foul."

"You're incorrigible!" Rory replied.

"Why are you so hell-bent on making this drive home monotonous and boring?" Tristin asked.

"I'm not!" Rory said indignantly. "Here. I'll be the DJ," she volunteered.

The first stationed scanned was a country station. They both laughed at the sound of Johnny Cash crooning a very dark and brooding song.

"Care to commit suicide with me?" Tristin mocked.

Rory giggled and continued on scanning. The Latin station was playing some salsa beat that listened to for a few moments before deciding on skipping it.

The third station was a charm. The soothing voice of Karen Carpenter filled the car with her rendition of "Merry Christmas, Darling".

For the next three minutes, both of them were mesmerized by the lyrics of the song. Singing about logs on a fire and wishing to be close with someone just made them realize that there's more than just chemistry happening between them. Neither of them looked at each other in fear of revealing what they truly have started feeling for each other: attraction.

.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"This is madness!" Richard Gilmore exclaimed when he opened up the paper to the Society page. "Emily, did you read this?"

"Surely, Richard, if I already read it, that means I've gotten to the paper before you and that has never happened in the history of our marriage," Emily said dryly.

On cue, the doorbell rang. Richard and Emily looked at each other. Neither was expecting guests and they were quite curious to see who visited them at this hour.

They heard murmurs being exchanges with Loretta, the new housemaid. A baritone voice filled the air in conversation. Emily was first to descend the steps. On the foyer was Logan, searching the sitting room with his eyes.

"Logan, to what pleasure do I owe you that you are standing here in my home?" Emily asked sarcastically.

"I was hoping that Rory was here, Emily," he said.

"Why would Rory be here? She should be with her mother in Stars Hollow," Emily said, starting to get alarmed.

"She's not with Lorelai. I already drove there. When I didn't see her car, I was hoping that she was spending time with you instead," Logan responded with urgency.

As Logan was giving his explanation, Richard came bounding down the steps. The sight of Logan made the old man see red.

"What are you doing here? Get out!" Richard said violently, as he tried to reach out for Logan's neck.

"Richard, what's gotten into you?" Emily wailed, trying to prevent her husband from lunging into Logan.

"Wait! I came to explain!" he said, trying to get away from Richard.

"What is there to explain? You made a mockery of my granddaughter. You scandalized the Gilmore name. I knew it the moment that you were dating Rory that you would be trouble but that was something I expected your grandfather to pull. I see that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree," Richard said in biting words.

"Richard, what are you talking about?" Emily asked. She was now in full panic.

"This," Richard said handing her the Society page. In dark bold letters the Front Page section announces "Bells Ring for Newspaper Mogul's Son". A grainy black and white photo of Mitchum, Logan and Sydney accompanied the caption.

"Is this some sick joke, Mister Huntzberger?" Emily asked. Fury emanated from the inside.

"Please, allow me to explain…" Logan said in desperation.

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"Where are you going?" Rory asked when they drove down a road Rory had memorized like the back of her hand.

"I am going to make the first step in making you and me an us," Tristin replied mysteriously.

"You are demented, aren't you?" Rory asked as her heart skipped a beat. "Did you sleep well last night? Did you bump your head somewhere that I didn't know?"

"Rory, you're rambling," he said, reaching out to touch her hand and calm her down. Her nervous habit was endearing to him.

"I told you not to play with anyone's heart," she said nervously.

"I'm not," he said. "I am simply going to set things straight with your grandparents. I don't want to be in their crap list because I stole you from your Thanksgiving party and all."

"Oh," Rory said.

"Besides, I don't live far from your grandparents so it's not like it's out of the way when you drop me off, right?" he tried to lighten up the mood.

"I'm skeptical," she said.

When she said that, they came upon her grandparents' driveway. A silver BMW sat on the far right near the pool house. Neither of the two thought more of it other than a visiting guest of the elder Gilmore's. Tristin turned the keys in the ignition in its off position. Tristin then turned and undid his seatbelt to face Rory.

"Are you ready?" Tristin asked.

"For what? Taking my grandparents for a ride? I know you can twist my mom and Gigi around your finger but I think my grandparents would prove to be a challenge," she warned him.

"How about you? Can I wrap you around my finger?" he asked in a whisper, his face, inches away from hers. His eyes focused between her eyes and her lips, which he wanted to kiss the moment he got into the car with her. The whole time he drove them home he couldn't stop thinking of kissing her since the park that morning! All he wanted to do was wrap her in his arms and hold her where he believes she should be forever.

Rory lowered her lids and bit caught her lower lip with her teeth. "Uh, maybe we can talk about that later."

Tristin sighed. "Fair enough."

They both exited the car and walked on the freshly salted front steps. They could hear yelling. Tristin and Rory exchanged looks. Rory took a hold of the knob and walked through the door. There they witnessed Richard and Emily pacing furiously in front of their seated guests. The intense conversation rendered them invisible to the house owners.

"Why did you not tell Rory why you dislike me so much?" Logan asked.

"What are you talking about?" Richard asked taking a defensive posture.

"You never told her about Pennilyn Lott. Why?" Logan asked.

"That is none of your business," Emily responded.

"It is when Rory thinks that I've done her wrong," Logan emphasized.

"You did and there is no excuse to your behavior, young man," Richard responded.

"Why? I didn't stand a chance to really have an honest relationship with your granddaughter because of what happened between you and my grandfather," Logan pointed out.

Emily was silent. Richard stood in front of Logan, arms akimbo. Rory and Tristin stood frozen on the spot. Other than feeling Tristin's fingers lace between hers, she was numb to the expose being revealed.

"Rory knows all she needs to know about Penny Lott. She is a woman of little importance to this household," Emily answered Logan's inquiry.

"Did she know that Richard was engaged to her?" Logan asked.

"Yes," Richard answered.

"Does she know that you were engaged to her after you stole her from my grandfather?' he asked again.

"I did not steal anyone. Penny left Elias long before I started courting her," Richard defended himself.

"My grandfather was in love with her, you know. He vowed that he would destroy you if he could," Logan said.

"That was his loss. I never told Penny who she should be with after she and I broke off our relations," Richard said.

Pennilyn Lott did not date Elias Huntzberger again after Richard proposed to Emily not because Elias didn't want her back. He wanted her to admit she was wrong for leaving him in the first place to be with Richard and Penny was too smart to grovel. Any man that would force a woman to choose loyalties, to Richard, is ruthless and vindictive. All this and more Richard dared not to share with Emily after all the luncheons he and Penny shared throughout the years.

Rory could see her grandmother's expression blanch at the mention of the woman's name. Pennilyn Lott was the reason Emily and Richard almost got divorced. She was the reason Emily almost lost her sanity at Trixie's funeral. Rory never felt so sorry for her grandmother. She hated the fact that Logan already hurt her. He had no right to hurt her grandmother in the process, too.

"When I fell in love with Rory, I experienced life in a way I never would've known if I stayed in the social circles I learned to associated with all my life. If it weren't for her, I would just be cold and heartless," Logan said with reverence. "She was my everything."

"So why do this to her?" Richard queried.

"Because of you, I have no choice but to marry Sydney," he said. "All because of you and grandfather."

Richard flashed him cold, steel blue eyes. "Don't blame us for your incompetence."

"I was not allowed to see Rory because of what transpired between you and grandpa and Penny."

"But you already have, Logan. Two years! You could've told her the truth," Richard scolded Logan. "You could've stood your ground when Elias and Mitchum told you to break it off with Rory."

Rory could see Logan hang his head in defeat. She felt like jumping in and defending Logan but now, all she felt was empathy and sorrow for the misguided man she thought she loved. Suddenly, she felt compassion for Sydney and how awkward things could be between her and Logan.

Richard shook his head. "Oh son, you are so blind. If you think you can blame your doomed relationship on the feud your grandfather and I had, you are so misguided. You will just be a puppet if you don't learn to stand up on your own."

Logan clenched and unclenched his fists. He was supposed to pawn off the problem to someone else. It's not his problem, not his!

"Fine. If you think you can get away…" Logan spun around and saw Rory and Tristin staring at them. "Rory!"

"Get out of this house right now or I swear to God, I will take you out myself," Rory threatened.


	20. Revelations Worth Forgetting

CHAPTER 20

"Rory, how long have you been standing there?" Emily asked when Logan revealed their presence.

"Enough to hear this pathetic excuse," Rory answered as she took long strides towards the group.

Rory's heart shattered to bits and pieces, as she got closer to Logan. Everything felt so surreal to her. It was like Logan morphed from a once-handsome being to an ogre not worth loving. She knew deep inside that he wasn't a hideous creature but she was at this point unforgiving.

"Rory, I am glad that you're here," Logan responded meeting her halfway. He tried to plant a kiss on her lips but Rory turned her head away to avoid it. She felt his hand on her shoulder. Flashbacks on how his touches used to make her weak now just made her angry with herself for being so gullible.

"Please, Logan. We are past civility here," Rory responded as a tear escaped from the corner of her eye.

"Rory, dear, you do not have to deal with this," Emily responded.

"I have to, grams. I will be alright," Rory said, trying to keep calm.

"Mr. DuGrey," Richard acknowledged Tristin despite his current disposition.

"Mr. Gilmore, Mrs. Gilmore, I came to apologize," Tristin straightened himself in front of Rory's grandparents.

"Now is not the time, son," Richard silenced him.

"Grandpa, can you see to it that Tristin gets home safely?" Rory pleaded.

"Rory, you're not serious," Tristin stated at Rory's request.

"Tristin, it's okay. You don't have to protect Rory anymore," Logan offered almost apologetic. "I have to tell Rory myself."

Rory picked up on the subtleties Logan planted. She stared at Logan first before she shifted her gaze to Tristin. Confusion overwhelmed Rory. A wave of emotion seemed to have changed Tristin's demeanor and Rory began doubting them. Did Tristin know the truth all along?

"Tristin, what is he talking about?" Rory asked, taking a step back to distance herself from Logan.

None of them noticed that Emily and Richard had become the spectators to the drama unfolding in the sitting room.

"Logan," Tristin issued his warning.

No words were exchanged but accusations seem to be flung. 'Damn it!' she cursed herself. She prided herself for falling in love with her head and not her heart. However, the events that unraveled in front of her had turned out to be a tragedy she would rather forget.

"Is this true, Tristin?" Rory questioned, having trouble accepting what seemed to be half-truths.

"Rory, I can explain," Tristin said.

Rory did not give him time to talk. "Tristin, I suggest you leave."

"Rory, please," Tristin pleaded.

"I suggest you take Rory up on that offer, Tristin," Richard quietly suggested.

"It's not his fault, Rory," Logan tried to clarify.

"Tristin!" Rory gave Tristin a commanding glare. "Please leave."

"Tristin, I'll have my man take you home," Richard led Tristin away from the couple by the shoulders.

Rory could see disappointment in Tristin's eyes but she cannot let him know that she had to deal with Logan in her own terms and without his interference. She would love to think of him as her pillar of strength. However, the implication of his contribution to the situation left Rory seeing red.

Tristin was livid. He was hell bent on winning Rory's affection but the white lie he and Logan weaved made things suspicious. He should have listened to his instincts and not have Logan manipulate him. Now the cat's out of the bag and he has to deal with Rory differently. He was repentant for all being an accessory to the deception. Now if he can just convince her to believe in him again.

Tristin was led once more to the entrance he and Rory escaped from a few weeks ago. The bittersweet irony made Tristin irrational.

"Thanks for the offer, Mr. Gilmore but I think I will walk home," Tristin said sadly.

"Are you mad, son? It is at least a twenty-minute hike to your parents if you jog along. In this weather, I will not be held responsible if you catch your death," Richard argued with the young man.

"But Mr. Gilmore!" Tristin tried to argue.

Richard cupped Tristin's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "I will not take no for an answer. You are a good man, Tristin. Your ways are a little unorthodox but nonetheless refreshing. I just hope you mean well when it comes to my granddaughter."

"I guess that is one fate only time can reveal if Rory takes that step," Tristin answered truthfully to Richard.

"Give her some time. Rory is slow to trusting. She will come around eventually," Richard advised. "I will assure you though, you are always welcome to this house, Tristin," Richard confided.

"Thank you, Mr. Gilmore," Tristin responded with appreciation.

"Call me Richard, son. It's Richard."

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Rory asked her grandmother to leave when Tristin was ushered out. She hated the thought of being left alone with Logan but having an audience won't make the situation any better.

When they were left to their own devices, Rory squared her shoulders and faced Logan once more.

"Logan, let's not make this any harder and say our goodbyes while we're still civil to each other," Rory suggested as she wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

"I want to tell you the truth," Logan coughed up.

"Funny, I thought that's the foundation of every relationship," Rory grunted. She took a seat on the ottoman opposite of where Logan sat earlier.

"You're different," Logan stated before sitting once more. "Rory, do you know how much I love you?" He chuckled bitterly. "I can't pinpoint the day I actually fell in love with you. It might have been the moment you defended Marty to me. That's his name, isn't it?"

She nodded her head in agreement.

"It might have been the time you badgered me to be your insider to the LDB," he shrugged, reminiscing like the person he talked about passed away. "But I knew that when Dean broke up with you, all I wanted to do was kiss all your tears away. I wanted to hug you until you can't think of him anymore. I wanted to be your superman."

Rory remained numb to his confession.

"Sydney and I were drifting. You can say we had a sabbatical from each other when you came to my life and that's no lie. Finn thought that you were all I needed to get over Sydney. For once in a long time, I was back to being in love and you showed me that."

"So how come you never told me about her? How did we get to this screwed up place?" Rory asked. She played with an imaginary lint on her lap.

"Well you heard my confession," Logan sighed.

"I want to hear your version… to me," she urged him on.

"Rory," he said, "when I mentioned you to my grandfather, I was ecstatic but he made my world crash around me when he vehemently told me that I can't see you. He told me that a Huntzberger can never marry a Gilmore if it's the last thing on earth," he said bitterly. "And my dad is making sure this happens."

"Oh, Logan," Rory said sadly.

"Unfortunately, this might stand longer than the curse of the Bambino," he snorted.

Rory wanted to laugh at his analogy. If there was one thing that Logan was good at, it was making light of such a depressing situation.

"Sydney and I have a past dating back to when we were five and I will always love her. I also would like to believe that we are together because we truly like each other but last night, I've realized that my relationship with her is fabricated like any business deal and I am so sorry that you're caught in it," Logan said, sorrow painted all over his face.

Rory was dumbfounded with the revelation. She wanted to be sympathetic but her skepticism still kept her away.

"What did you mean about Tristin?' she asked.

"He's a victim," he said without emotion. "He put out a vibe that he knows you, maybe even love you."

Logan looked back to the Thanksgiving party not so many nights ago. Tristin stood next to him. He commented on the weather. All Logan could do was grunt a stupid response. He was rehearsing his break up speech when Tristin strutted in. He remembered him earlier from the night watching him and Rory dancing. Tristin was an easy prey. Him walking on to the balcony while he rehearsed made the whole process more intriguing.

Rory thought of Lorelai's words on how scuzz balls identify scuzz balls immediately flooded her thoughts. Maybe she had a point after all!

"Did Tristin tell you that he saw me in New York when you guys were there?" Logan volunteered.

"No," Rory admitted.

"Rory, please don't take it out on him. If he was half the man I think he is in hindsight, he is a saint. If I was in his shoes, I would have sold him down the river just to get my way," Logan confessed.

"What are you trying to say?" Rory stammered.

"Tristin seems to care for you… a lot. Even when I asked him for help, he showed a lot of distrust," Logan said.

Rory got up from her seat and hugged Logan tightly. No words of comfort can come out of her mouth. She was parched and her command of the English language seems to be beyond her reach.

"So what are you going to do now?" Rory finally asked.

"I don't know. I really don't know," Logan regretted saying.


	21. At Last

CHAPTER 21

Rory's lips were numb when she took another sip of her amaretto sour. She was heady and all she wanted to do was get the night over and done with. She aspirated the last of her drink. 'What was that, the fourth glass?' she asked herself. She droned out to the boisterous room. For all she cared, she was another faceless person in the crowd.

Despite her state of drunkenness, she was aware that he was around somewhere. Almost like a reflex, she reached out for the pendant that rested on her chest. She had to see him.

The thought of it happening made her sick and giddy at the same time. She asked herself, 'What are you going to say if you do see him?' With that, her conscience answered her with silence.

Her thoughts ran amuck with the conversation she and her mother shared that afternoon before getting to the aforementioned party.

"I cannot believe we're going through this again," Rory remembered exclaiming to her mother as she threaded a golden hoop earring through her pierced lobes. "It feels like Groundhog Day only I don't think we actually went back in time."

"I can't either, but then who are we to change it? Besides that means that you have to go through the whole Logan mortification again," Lorelai responded out loud while applying the Vicious Trollop on her lips. "Do you think this time it'll be a better party since dad and mom aren't sponsoring it?"

"God, I hope so!" Rory thought out loud.

Lorelai giggled. "Wouldn't it be amusing if the same guys that were in the party last Thanksgiving would be the same people in this party?"

"That's not funny, mom. It would really shoot my chances of making a clean breakaway," Rory admitted, creasing her forehead.

Despite Lorelai's attempts of making light of the situation, she could tell that Rory was trying hard to appear unfazed. She admired her daughter's resilience. She knew that if she was in her daughter's shoes, she wouldn't even consider going out on a night like this.

Rory stood in front of the full-length mirror and flattened out the imaginary creases on her satin, sleeveless, turquoise dress. It was elegant and regal at the same time. The scooped neckline gave her the illusion of an enhanced chest while the soft fabric accentuated her tiny waist. Rory chose the outfit just to match the pendant that nestled itself comfortably right above the valley of her breasts.

"Hmm, you know, you're the only person I know other than Heidi Klum that could wear that color,"� Lorelai broke through her thoughts. She noticed the new piece of jewelry her daughter chose to adorn her neck with but bothered not to ask an explanation for the religious symbol.

"Well I wish I had her body and pocket book,"� Rory responded nonchalantly.

"Wouldn't we all?" the elder Lorelai responded. Lorelai didn't look bad herself as she shimmied into a cream body hugging number with a slit that rode up her thigh.

Rory stole the lipstick her mother applied earlier and painted her lips with it. "Are you glad that Logan and I have broken up?"

'Elated! Euphoric! On seventh heaven!' These words popped into her head when Rory asked her the loaded question. Lorelai had to stop the urge to respond with such enthusiasm.

"I was disappointed that it happened this close to the season," Lorelai answered with mocked dignity. "I thought it was sad though that he blames dad and his grandfather for his current engaged status to that Sydney chick."

"Me too," Rory sulked.

Lorelai casually glanced towards her daughter's direction to see her sit contemplatively on her bed. She knew Rory enough to know that she was thinking of ways she could have circumvented the situation.

"Hey, kid, don't think that all that went down was your fault," Lorelai advised her. "You just became a victim of circumstance."

"I know,"� she muttered. "But why does it always happen to me? Even Paris has better luck in the dating department than me."�

"That's because cupid received a memo that he'll wake up to a horse's head if she ever got steered to the wrong man,"� Lorelai snorted.

"You're mean, mom," Rory chuckled.

The sound just made Lorelai happy. She just hoped that Rory just let her guard down for once.

"You know, I won't be surprised if Santa gave you and extra super present under the Christmas tree this year," Lorelai commented.

"Why'd you say that?" Rory inquired, staring at her mother's reflection on the vanity mirror.

"Because you've been a good kid," she simply stated.

"That's such an overrated response from a mother," Rory said as she rolled her eyes. A smile crept on her lips. "Have you been sitting on Santa's lap again?"

"Do you want the censored version of the story?" Lorelai insinuated with a glint in her eye.

"Oh brother," Rory heaved in disbelief.

.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo.

Tristin just closed his eyes and let the three consumed vodka tonics he consumed affect his system. He finally gave in and let his guard down. He pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled slowly. He was just tired.

He didn't know what to expect that evening. All he remembered was robotically preparing himself for his parents' soiree. The annual DuGrey gala was a lavish get together his family throws every year and for the first time in long while he felt alienated and lonely.

He cursed Logan for not copping up to the deceit sooner so that he could've invited Rory to the event with no pretenses. Alas, things never went his way. With his current streak of luck, he might as well imagine himself doing Jell-O shots with Paris Geller.

He glared at his reflection on the mirror. He deftly secured the ends of his bowtie around his neck. He was methodical and precise. Over and over again, the screaming match that unfolded at the Gilmore parlor played in his head. How could he be so foolish to think that Rory would come after him on the aftermath of her break up?

"You're a fool for wishing," he mocked his tired reflection while Ben Folds sang "Brick" in the background. He stared at himself on the mirror. His eyes were dull from lack of sleep. They were lackluster and grayish. It matched his mood and he was miserable. His scowl was evident. He ran his fingers through his tousled mane and that too would not go his way.

He turned around and stared at his bedside clock. It was quarter past eight. He was already late for the rendezvous and he didn't care. He lifted the tux jacket that was hung neatly on the wooden hanger: cleaned and pressed for the occasion. He smiled sadly. If only Rory's scent on it lingered on.

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Somewhere between the argument of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and "Santa Baby" did Rory's heart do a back flip. Tristin walked into the room from a side door. He was breathtaking despite his haggard state. She watched him scan the room with tired eyes before leaning up against the wall to talk to a voluptuous blonde. He didn't see her as she expected. She was partly relieved and at the same time disappointed that he didn't try hard enough to search for her.

'She is stunning,' Rory said to herself. Admitting those words made Rory's mouth dry. In fact, the memory of Chilton halls all of a sudden made her realize that she deluded herself. How she wanted to believe Logan that Tristin cared for her! Just like that, she took another drink from the tray being passed around and found herself a nice wallflower spot in the enormous room.

"Jessica, I am surprised to see you here," Tristin acknowledged the sexy blonde who sauntered towards him. Oddly, he didn't find her attractive despite her seductive outfit.

"Oh, Tristin, you think I will miss this party for the world?" she asked him. She was dressed in a silver number that only someone with her curves would dare wear. She was three sheets to the wind and not aware of the stares she's been getting.

"Jess, don't you think you've had enough to drink?" he queried her after he pulled her aside so he didn't have to yell.

"Honey, this is the only way I could prevent myself from looking for you," she pouted. She pressed her chest up against him knowing that he could not resist her assets. She ran her naughty red manicured finger on his jaw line. "Take me back, Tristin, and I'll take you to places you've never been before."

"Jessica," he called out, sequestering her playful hand and put it to her side. "I've moved on."

"That's what you think," she threatened, walking away from him. She sashayed to the man that sat on the piano and whispered something on his ear. She walked up to another guy in the room who wore a Santa hat and plucked the ridiculous article from his head so she can wear the garment. With the microphone in one hand and a cranberry cosmopolitan on the other, she situated herself in the middle of the crowd. Several introductory notes later, the blonde bombshell crooned to "Santa Baby."

Rory felt like throwing up. The girl she regarded as competition hypnotized her. She was stunning and had perfect pitch. She can't think of any word to describe her except for a word that rhymed with 'witch'.

"Santa baby, slip a sable under the tree, for me," she crooned in her best Marilyn Monroe impression. She walked seductively towards Tristin and ran her index finger down his chest. "… I've been an awful good girl. Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight."�

If that wasn't enough, she hooked the same finger on his belt and led Tristin to the middle of the room as she sang the next couple of verses.

"Santa baby, an out-of-space convertible too, light blue. I'll wait up for you dear. Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight," she sang beautifully.

The whole room broke into chorus as the song progressed. Everyone seemed to be entertained by the girl's antics.

Tristin hated being the subject of Jessica's frolics. She was the epitome of brattiness, using the audience as her ally at the moment. She wants to show him that if everyone wanted her, he should consider himself lucky for her to choose him.

"Santa honey, I wanna yacht and really that's not a lot," she sang as she turned her back against him. Almost immediately, her curvy bottom replaced her finger that traveled down his pants. She was milking out as many catcalls she can surmise.

Tristin rolled his eyes at his ex-girlfriend's almost striptease routine. Yes, he felt himself getting aroused by Jessica but that was not what he wanted that night. He wanted Rory and Rory alone.

By some trick of fate, two other men from the crowd emerged and led Jessica by the hand to a section of the room that ironically looked like Madonna's "Material Girl" video. She all of a sudden was oblivious to his presence.

Rory knew she should do something to end her masochistic tendencies towards herself. Slowly, she weaseled her way through the jovial horde. She was now right behind him, so close she could smell his aftershave and cologne. The performer in front of them spellbound everyone. Before she could lose her nerve, she snaked her fingers around his and tugged him away. He looked surprised but he allowed her to lead him away from everyone else. They exited through the door that was well camouflaged by the fragrant fir Christmas tree. Both held their breaths until they left the room unnoticed.

"Rory," he stated breathlessly.

Rory was still on a high from her successful kidnapping. So she pinned Tristin against the wall and kissed him. She felt and heard his head slam up against the wood paneling but she didn't care. She wanted him and she didn't care how she got it.

Their mouths meshed into one. Her tongue did the searching this time. They assertively sought his tongue out until she felt his in her mouth. She sucked on it like her life depended on it. Her brazen hands reached for his nape and massaged the muscles that supported his head. When he moaned, she sucked his lower in her mouth. She allowed him a second or two to catch his breath before she resumed nibbling his swollen lips.

"Baby… Baby, slow down," he said in hushed tones.

Rory realized that she was possessed when she attacked Tristin. She could see the passion in his eyes. Both of them exhaled almost in unison. Rory's blue eyes met with his when she realized she was deluding herself.

"I'm so sorry," Rory cried out, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

She turned around and started walking away. Her heart pounded so loudly that she was surprised that she could still hear his voice.

"You are not walking away from me again, Gilmore," Tristin warned.

It was a voice Rory had never heard before.

"I made a mistake," Rory rambled on. "I thought… I thought I could come here with the pretense of being your friend but when I saw that girl all over you…"

"Rory, I didn't even know you were going to be here," he explained.

"All the more," she said. "If I wasn't here, you'd be with her right now."

"No I won't!" he vehemently denied.

"You're just saying that," Rory tried to convince herself by yelling at him.

Tristin realized they were getting loud. He let out an exasperated sigh before he pulled her into the solarium.

The moment Tristin turned the lights on, he swung Rory around and gave her a version of the kiss he wanted to give her. He leaned up against the windowpane and pulled her on top of him. In one fluid motion, he cradled her hips against his pelvis and guided her head to meet his.

Compared to Rory's hungry kiss, his was slow and deliberate. Each nibble was accompanied with a rub. Each sigh was accompanied by a groan. Their bruised lips searched for virgin skin after they realized that they had to slow down.

"Rory," he sighed when he licked the pulsating vein on the side of her neck. She could feel a smile forming on his lips. His kisses traced the necklace that adorned her neck. "You love me."

"What?" Rory asked breathlessly.

"You love me," he chuckled as he kissed the pendant that hung right above her breast. He watched the small globes rise and fall as she panted.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she lied.

"If it's any consolation, I love you, too," he admitted, cupping her behind in the palms of his hands. He wanted her to be closer than she already was. He wanted her to feel how much he wanted her to be with him.

"A little arrogant, are we?" she confronted him smugly.

"I think you know the answer to that," he responded as he nuzzled her neck that smelled of vanilla and lilies.

"Are you glad that I'm here?" Rory asked timidly.

"Ecstatic," he mumbled.

"Were you expecting me?" she asked again.

"Only Santa can answer that," he responded between nibbles.

"You conned my mom!" Rory acted offended.

"What are you talking about?" Tristin asked.

"Mom said that Santa…" Rory tried to say before Tristin grabbed her back into his bear hug.

"Santa helps those that have been nice," Tristin recited the creed.

"Are you sure you didn't coerce my mom to have me here?" Rory asked with guarded suspicion.

"No," he said somberly. "But when we snuck out near the Christmas tree, I knew that Santa granted me my Christmas wish."

"And what was that?" she asked, almost too scared to breathe.

"You underneath my Christmas tree," he said, kissing her again.

Rory's heart felt like bursting. She was grateful that somehow, things worked out the way they did.

Between tongue duels and heated moans, she felt his fingers around the necklace she wore.

"No, don't," she whined.

He stopped kissing her. "Why not?"

"Because… I've grown accustomed to it," she confessed. "I know it's a loaner but…"

"But it has served its purpose," he said.

"And that is?" Rory inquired.

"St. Christopher guided you back to me," he simply stated. "Now, I can put on your neck your real New York souvenir."

From his pant pocket, he pulled out a silver necklace. Rory gasped and pulled away.

"I can't take that from you," Rory said meekly.

"Yes you can, and I insist you have it. Otherwise I would be forced to find someone named Rory to wear it," he insisted.

A little Tiffany padlock charm adorned the light chain. On the padlock the inscription read: If Rory is lost, contact Tristin.

"Wow. Aren't we presumptuous," Rory laughed out loud after she read the words. For once, the feeling of possession was liberating.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" she asked as he fastened the necklace on her.

"Positively," he responded with confidence.

Rory let out a loud sigh before she took both of his hands into hers. Without any warning she said, " I love you. Don't ask me when I realized it but I love you."

"Any regrets?" he asked as he flashed her a dimpled smile.

"Only that it took be this long to admit it," she said.

Tristin and Rory left the room in silence basking in their newfound romance. Halfway between the karaoke room they escaped from and the adults' parlor, Tristin asked, "What are you doing New Year's?"


	22. Sydney, Meet Irony

EPILOGUE

It's a week before Christmas and Rory was buying the last of her final stocking stuffers. She stayed the night before at Tristin's, helping him pack the last of his stuff before heading back to Hartford. Rory had to chuckle. It's been a year since she first visited Tristin's bachelor's pad. Now, she's sad that the place that made it all happen would have to be given up by the end of spring when Tristin graduates.

"I'm going to stand in line," Tristin told Rory. "Are you going to miss me?"

"Much!" Rory said enthusiastically. "Did I ever say that you're the best boyfriend ever?"

"No but I'd love to hear it," Tristin responded as he wrapped his arms around her.

Rory physically showed how much she appreciated Tristin's sacrifice and love for her by slipping her hands under his coat and touch him in places she knows would drive him crazy.

"Watch it or I won't stand in line to get the autograph for your best friend," he growled.

"I love you," she playfully said before giving his behind a light squeeze and tap.

It was by sheer luck that Nick Hornby was autographing his latest novel at the Barnes and Noble they visited. Rory wanted to get an autographed copy of Hi Fidelity to give to Lane for Christmas. Rory knew she would be psyched to have a book only a true audiophile could comprehend.

She started rummaging through some CDs when a familiar voice chimed behind her.

"Rory, is that you?" the feminine voice asked.

Rory spun around and saw a pretty blonde materialize in front of her. It was Sydney and she was radiant. She was surprised to see the blonde chop her beautiful hair for a shorter, more chic up do.

"Sydney, how are you doing?' Rory asked, albeit awkward.

"Great, actually," she said, letting out a nervous chuckle.

Both remained silent and had their eyes wander around.

"Wow, this is awkward," Sydney commented.

"Yes, this is," Rory chuckled. "So, what are you doing here in New York?"

"Actually hanging out with my new man," she blushed.

"New man?" Rory's ears perked up.

"I guess you didn't hear, huh?" Sydney said. "Logan and I aren't a couple anymore."

"You're not? How come I didn't hear about it?" Rory wrinkled her brow.

"Hmm, unless you still hang out with the LDB, I don't think you would've heard about it," Sydney said absentmindedly. "Have you seen him around?"

Rory saw him a few times on campus, usually running away from her. The instances he showed up at the office, he had always made an excuse to dodge her.

"Some, but he and I are too busy to really talk," Rory fibbed.

"Hey, you don't have to make excuses. Everything became so awkward after the engagement party," Sydney said.

"I really am so sorry about that. If I only knew," Rory apologized.

"Hey, Logan is a great guy who's really confused," Sydney said.

"You still love him, don't you," Rory asked sympathetically.

Sydney hummed into submission. "I still do."

"So what happened?" Rory asked.

"We talked about you," Sydney said truthfully.

"And I wish I can take it all back," Rory pointed out.

Sydney chuckled. "It's not just you. Logan and I had become strangers. We really didn't see eye to eye anymore. I mean I'd like to think that someday, we might be together but now isn't the time. Logan and I need to find ourselves."

"So where is Logan going to be finding himself?' Rory inquired.

"Last I heard, he's leaving for Germany and will be working with the people who run 'Hello' magazine when he graduates in spring. His dad thinks it will be good training," Sydney volunteered the information.

"Ah," Rory said. "And you?"

"I am thinking of doing an internship at the MTV building," Sydney said. "I don't think they will be able to resist me."

"You know you are going to be subjected to the likes of Andy Dick," Rory warned.

"Funny, that's what my boyfriend said to me," Sydney commented. "You do have to meet him. You probably could've been twins in an alternate universe."

"He sounds like a smart man. At least you can't say that you've been warned," Rory laughed. "I guess you're set. The world is in the palm of your hands."

"Hey, I'll work as a waitress at Tribeca if it helps me stay close to my baby," Sydney admitted.

"Look at you, aren't you a little protective of him," Rory said..

"Yeah. We've been together for two months and I am on cloud nine," Sydney added on. "Honestly, he's a lot like you. He reads a ton of books, listens to all these new bands. Ooh, he does a music review on the weekly paper. He's no Ivy League guy but he's putting himself through community college," she spoke in rapid-fire succession to talk up her new squeeze. "You know, he's around somewhere."

"He sounds like a blast. Maybe we can double date some time," Rory said with an enthusiasm she can't remember where it came from. "If I don't see him you could send my regards…" Rory's voice trailed when a male voice chimed in.

"Hey, I got what I needed…" his voice also trailed.

"Honey, I want you to meet a friend of mine. Rory, this is my boyfriend, Jess Mariano," Sydney introduced a man Rory had been familiar with for a long time.

"Hi," Jess mumbled.

"Hi," Rory said back.

"Jess is not much of a talker but he's cool. He's my knight in shining armor," Sydney said wrapping her arms around Jess' arm. "He escorted me home after I dated Jose Cuervo and got hit on by some annoying guys."

"Hmm, you should've stuck with DiSorrono instead," Rory quipped, tongue-tied with Sydney's revelation. "Yeah. Men like… Jess are hard to find," Rory said without taking her eyes off of Jess.

"Uh, I'll wait for you outside," Jess said. "Nice meeting you, Rory."

"Yes. Nice meeting you, too, Jess," Rory said.

Rory watched Jess back away from them. Rory had to drop her stare and refocus on Sydney.

"You look happy," Rory pointed out.

"I am happy," Sydney said. "So, I hope you we can still be friends?"

"That would be nice," Rory said. "Well, Jess is waiting for you outside."

Sydney looked back and saw Jess casually glancing in. "I guess he is. Call me?"

"I will. Merry Christmas," Rory said giving the blonde a hug. "Good luck to you and Jess."

"Jess is great. I hope he's better than Logan," Sydney told her.

'He is and can be,' Rory said quietly to herself.

"Merry Christmas!" Sydney said as she left the crowded bookstore.

Rory followed Sydney out of the bookstore with her eyes. She thought it was coincidence that she and Sydney dated the same guy. Jess turning out to be Sydney's new boyfriend is blatant irony.

"Hey, was I dreaming or was that who I thought it was?" Tristin asked.

"Uh, yes, it was her," Rory mumbled.

"How's she doing?" Tristin asked.

"She broke up with Logan," Rory gave him an update.

"She did?" Tristin was incredulous. ""Wow. Sorry to hear that."

"Well she's happy with Jess," Rory slipped.

"Jess? Wow, she works fast. I just hope he's a notch or two better than his predecessor," Tristin said massaging Rory's shoulder. "So, are you ready to go?'

"Did you get the book?"

"Signed, sealed and delivered," Tristin said.

"You know, I love you," Rory said, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I love you, too. What was that all about?" Tristin asked.

"Just wanted to let you know that I'm glad I found you," Rory said. "A year ago, I was still wondering whether or not we're supposed to be friends or something."

"I wanted it to be "the something"," Tristin admitted. "Really, has it been a year?"

"Don't play. You know it's going to be our anniversary and I think you have to tell me if you've decided to pick up a girlfriend on the side," Rory whimpered.

Tristin took her in his arms. "Do you love me?" she asked.

"Love is not the question. It's trust," Rory said.

"Well you know about Debbie," Tristin said with a glint in his eye.

Rory punched him on the arm. "Yeah, tell her to pick up after herself. She's such a pig," she teased him about the imaginary Debbie.

"But I personally love you, Rory," Tristin said as he gave her a big squeeze. Rory can't believe that he still gives her the nice fuzzy feeling despite the honeymoon phase being over.

"You swear?" Rory asked.

"Swear to God, cross my heart," he responded as he nibbled her ear.

"Are you even Catholic?" she mumbled.

"Only when I'm around you, Mary," Tristin swore as he kissed Rory passionately on the lips.

"So, do you think we have time before driving back?" Rory asked referring to Tristin's offer before he stood in line for the autograph.

"For you, always."

END

A/N: Finally, the end of another story. I thank all those that have stuck by me through this whole ordeal. I know that I promised to have this wrapped up by Thanksgiving weekend but school and work decided to be selfish. Hence, the tardiness. Without your reviews, I would've not finished this fic. Only this writer would be proud to say, "You all rock!"

To those that would like to read the alternate version of this story, please email me. It involves slash, so if you are going to be offended by the subject matter, stick to this version.

Love you all and I hope to hear from all of you again when my next tale goes up!


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